The Girl With The Eyebrows
by Aaron Ledgers
Summary: Sally Beth is a country girl who miraculously survived a set of twisters that ripped her entire town apart. After moving from place to place, she was eventually relocated to Jump City to start over. However, dreams of a hooded girl and a creepy masked stalker begin to plague her. Not to mention storms keep popping up out of nowhere, usually when she gets upset. Coincidence? Nope.
1. Prologue: Frozen

**Prologue: Frozen**

I... am cold.

Every part of me is just... cold.

Ever since last year, I can't seem to get warm... never, no matter what I wear or what I do. I've been told it's natural to feel depressed, but this doesn't feel like depression: it's something else. I mean, it's obvious that I've got a few good reasons to be depressed... two years ago, a tornado ripped through my neighborhood and tore my home to pieces.

The worst part?

Everyone had been sleeping like a log when it hit, even me.

All I really remember is seeing the roof being ripped away from us, piece by piece, and then... there was _wind._ And I don't mean a wonderful spring breeze, either: I mean wind that was strong enough to rip the hair clean off my head and peel the skin from my bones. My sisters screamed for a second, I think, but I don't really know.

I remember spinning, and I remember flipping around so much that I vomited... but then, everything went dark and I passed out.

The next time I woke up, I had been buried under piles of concrete and metal and my family was... gone.

Actually, _everything_ was gone.

Period.

However, the thing I noticed the most was that my entire body was almost unbearably cold.

Which, I figured at the time, could have been normal since I'd somehow managed to survive being flung around like a rag doll. My body should have been feeling weird by all rights after such a horrifying experience, but I'd hoped it would pass after I recovered.

It took the rescue trucks three days to get me out of there, but after witnessing the remains of what used to be the larger part of my hometown, I honestly couldn't help but wonder how I hadn't been killed. My family, my home, my neighborhood, everything I held dear... all of it had been eradicated in under three minutes. There was literally nothing left... nothing, not a single house, a single building, or even a single tree.

Nothing but destruction.

And nearly everyone had been killed by the wind storm that had swept through during the night.

But it hadn't ended there...

Oh, no.

Because the very next day, while me and the few survivors were being examined at the hospital, that dreaded storm siren went off and we were moved by ambulances to the elementary school to find shelter.

Because another tornado had come.

And like a wild beast, it shredded everything in its path: the hospital, the buildings downtown, the cornfields, and all three schools. Including the one I had been taken to. And it didn't end there, either... because, for the next ten days, multiple tornadoes shredded nonstop through the city, destroying every single building.

I ended up buried under more crap with two boys.

When rescue came again, I was the only person in my whole town who had survived.

Just barely, too.

And yet, as horrible as I know it's going to sound, I had become too numb to care about it.

My body felt frozen: after the commotion had died down long enough for people to rebuild, I had waved my old life goodbye and literally become a shivering wreck.

To this day, I can't wear anything but sweaters and winter clothes, even during the summer: my body will shake itself apart if I try.

Doctors started examining me when my temporary caretakers noticed my shakes, but they honestly couldn't say what was wrong with me. They all said that my body temperature was normal, and my nerves were miraculously undamaged, so there shouldn't have been a reason for me to feel cold. People eventually got creeped out thanks to the shivering, and as a result, I was thrust around from foster home to foster home, from hospital to hospital, and even from state to state.

It got to the point where my caseworker finally said to hell with it and sent me to live in the warmest and driest state in the USA: California. I can't deny it, either: this is literally the warmest and driest place I've ever lived in.

But sadly, even though I've lived here for nine months already, I still can't seem to get warm.

My name is Sally Beth.

Yes, just Sally Beth.

Truthfully, I'm not a pretty girl, and I'm not exactly an intelligent one, either... I suck at things like math and science, and I'm way below average as far as my looks are concerned. My eyebrows have never been trimmed, so they're kinda thick, and my hair is extremely curly so it's always all over the place. And don't even get me started on my skin color... God, if there's one thing I hate more than being cold, it's being an Italian blonde: my hair color doesn't match my skin tone. Especially since my eyes are like my mom's... a garishly bright blue-green that pops out in a rather unappealing manner.

Well, I take that back... it doesn't look appealing on _my_ face: Mom's was drop-dead gorgeous, but I look more like a boy than a girl, so people kind of pick on me for it.

None of that really matters, though... I've changed since the storm.

I've become... well, cold.

Emotionally, I mean.

After all, I'd only gotten a scratch and a bump after being in such a mind-blowing disaster.

Nearly everyone else had either died or lost someone precious.

And that... that made me feel sick.

I mean, I'd apparently been tossed nearly three thousand feet into the sky and buried under a car, a telephone pole, and what had probably been the highway interstate bridge. Everyone had said it was a miracle... but to me, it didn't feel like one.

It felt more like a curse.

I'm happy I'm alive, don't get me wrong... it's just, I can't help but feel like I was left behind. And it hurts.

Plus, when the nuns at the church told me that God made plans for a reason, they'd practically insinuated that He had murdered my family. I know they'd meant well, but seriously?

That thought had done more harm than good. My family, my dreams, my future... everything I had wanted to protect had been destroyed right in front of me. I had been left alone, with nobody to turn to... abandoned in a sea of seemingly friendly faces who didn't understand me or even really care. And since children living in foster homes don't exactly have a stable living environment, it's hard to make friends that last a long time.

Which is why I don't try to.

Honestly, I've been passing through my high school days being unable to do much more than shiver and focus on how cold I am.

Including today: some of the girls from class invited me to go have dinner with them at a local coffee shop, but I'd turned them down with the excuse that I was too cold to do it. I had been humiliated, on top of unfocused, since they'd all given me some strange looks. Maybe they'd thought I was a crackhead or something... Lord knows some people get that impression due to my constant shivering.

Still, this is where my story truly began.

See, the moment I arrived back at the foster home, I swept off to my room without looking at the matrons behind the desk and grabbed a think blanket. Then I swept back down the hall and sprinted in the direction of the kitchen. The old ladies rolled their eyes and went back to work when I unlocked the door and ran inside: they'd seen it all before.

After school, I never really socialize with anybody since I don't have the will or even the patience to deal with them.

I merely sit in the kitchen in front of the fireplace with a heater beside me.

Soon, a colorful fire was blazing in front of me with the mahogany wood underneath the flames turning coal black. With a quick flick of my wrist, I turned the heater on full blast, but as usual, the warmth eluded me, dancing just out of my reach. My body continued shivering, shaking terribly with the cold. After a few minutes, the head chef walked in and put her hands on her hips, clucking her tongue. Miss Figgins was a chubby black woman who spoke in a thick southern accent, but she's actually one of the sweetest people I've ever met.

"I don't get how you be so cold all the time, Sally," she drawled, puttering over to the cabinets and pulling out a few giant pots. "It's ninety five degrees outside right now, isn't it? Why you wearing those sweaters and wrapping yourself up in a blanket? And why you always sitting in front of the fire?"

"Because I'm cold," I droned, scooting closer to the fire and shrinking into my blanket like a turtle. "I can't get warm unless I'm right here."

"Oh, Lordy, you picking on me?" the black woman chuckled, rolling her eyes. "It's hot as a chilli pepper in here!"

"Maybe to you," I muttered in a monotone, shivering and closing my eyes. "Sometimes I wish I could jump in the fire so I could be warm."

The woman instantly halted and stared at me, but I didn't really care that she looked a bit startled: I was serious.

I just wanted to be warm. That's all.

"Chile, you really worry me," she asked, grabbing a newspaper off the counter before pulling up a chair and sitting down beside me. "You really wanna burn yourself?"

"No, I just wanna be warm," I complained, giving her a sour look when she started reading the paper. "I can't get my body to warm up!"

"Well, eat more then, chile!" Miss Figgins sighed, giving me a firm expression when my eyes became half-lidded with sarcasm. "Don't you give me that look! You gotta eat a lotta food and get some fat on those bones if ya wanna be warm! You ain't nothin' but a stick, darlin', and that ain't a good thing."

I scowled since she was sort of correct: I was actually fairly small for a fifteen-year-old girl.

At four feet and six inches, I literally only weighed ninety-six pounds soaking wet.

"I'll eat myself silly if it'll warm me up," I drawled, snuggling into the blanket in an attempt to get more comfortable. "Are you sure I should, though?"

"Of course!" the black woman chuckled, reading the paper with a soft smile; however, after a moment, her smile faded and she sighed. "Well, looks like those Titan vigilantes are at it again... but Lordy, they took out a group of robbers by themselves!"

"Eh? You mean the Teen Titans?" I asked, glancing at her with blank blue eyes. "Last week, someone at school was making a ruckus over that group. She says she actually saw two of them flying in the sky, but that's just crazy. People can't fly."

"Oh, Chile, they can do a lot more than just fly," Miss Figgins chuckled, shaking her head with a quirked eyebrow as she continued reading. "Still, for a group of kids livin' in a T-shaped tower, they sure do help the police a lot."

"Eeeeh?" I mumbled, only halfway listening to her. "That's interesting."

"Well, I gotta lotta work to do," the black woman sighed, folding the newspaper and setting it on the counter; then she patted my curls and headed off for the kitchen entrance. "I'll be back in ten minutes with some groceries. Remember, Chile, eat a lotta food and maybe that cold feelin' will go away."

With that, Miss Figgins left the kitchen and I was alone, like I usually was.

However, after she was gone, my eyes fixated on the fire in front of me.

It was radiating pure warmth... and even though my body sort of felt it, I really just didn't. The warmth of the flames wasn't even skin-deep: it refused to seep into my skin, my bones, or even my soul. After a moment, I started inching ever closer to the mesmerizing flames, longing for the end of the coldness inside me, craving for complete warmth. I was cold, so bitterly cold, that I couldn't do anything but reach for the impossible.

Before I could process what I was doing, my quivering hand slipped out of the shelter of the blanket and started moving towards the fire.

I wanted―needed―to be warm... but reason stopped my hand.

I needed my hand for my future in music: despite being unattractive, I'm actually really good at artsy stuff... such as playing the violin and drawing. When I wasn't feeling musically inclined or doing schoolwork, I sketched and painted portraits of scenery, buildings, anything that caught my eye. My hand was my livelihood... but logic was fighting a losing battle. The passion for art and music, which once burned brightly in my heart, had been overshadowed by my desire for warmth a long time ago.

My hand slowly inched toward the fire, towards the hope of warmth.

However, when it touched the fire... for a long moment, I felt absolutely nothing.

So I eased my whole arm into the dancing swirls of red and orange.

Then... for the first time in years... my body registered something other than the numbing coldness.

Heat.

But an icy heat, sharp with pain.

It seared into my arm, my flesh roasting alive, the heat of the frigid agony seeping into me. It was excruciating, but I refused to pull my arm out: I couldn't stop embracing the sensation of the heat speeding into me. It was so warm... I couldn't do anything but close my eyes, since my head had already tilted back. By that point, I didn't really care about losing my life, or even about the flames running up my arm, spreading to my torso, my legs.

I wanted, needed, the warmth.

So, letting out a breath of relief, I slowly leaned closer to the fire.

And, then, somehow... a shadow exploded out of it and I found myself falling. I don't know how, but I literally fell into the flames and went through them, falling into a deafening abyss made of burning orange and white. Below me, the endless flames expanded into a circular gateway, the shadow pulling me in finally dropped me in a dark room. The ground beneath me was pitch black and I couldn't hear the heater anymore: the only sound that met my ears was the crackling of a nearby fire.

Then my eyes adjusted, and I blinked in a dazed manner: I was outdoors, but the sky above me looked like something straight out of a science fiction movie. The sky was pitch black, with violet-tinted splotches of nebulae and flickering stars: all around were dead trees, and beneath me was an enormous piece of concrete which was doing nothing but floating in the emptiness of the void.

I wasn't at the foster home anymore... however, I was so warm that I wasn't even shivering, so it was all good. After closing my eyes, I let myself bask in the feeling I had almost forgotten... the feeling of heat radiating from my body... but then, I heard the sound of roaring flames and glanced up to see myself surrounded by a circle of fire with only one opening.

And yet, I couldn't bring myself to care. I was warm.

It was only at the last second that I noticed a cloaked figure standing at the opening of the fire. The firelight was dancing across the little expanse of pale skin that I could see, and it's four blood-red eyes seemed to emanate a light of their own. It was looking at me, but It didn't seem to be hostile, so I didn't really care. I stared, bored, as it slowly glided over and held out a hand to help me up. I shook my head. It didn't matter to me whether I was sitting or standing, but I didn't feel like moving, even with its assistance.

"I'm good," I stated simply, looking at the ground with half-lidded eyes. "So good..."

Not taking no for an answer, it legitimately dragged me up.

When my wrist was caught in its pale hand, I noticed that my arm was ablaze.

I blinked rapidly at the startling sight before looking down at my body in curiosity, noting that I was completely encased in flames... and yet, it didn't hurt at all, so I was probably dreaming. Either way, I didn't really care: I was warm, and the heat was melting the ice inside me. After a moment of examining my features with glowing red eyes, the hooded being began talking in a raspy, projecting voice. I still wasn't sure if it was a male or a female: gender shouldn't be judged on voices, or even appearances.

Especially since people usually mistake me for a guy, despite having relatively long hair.

"You entered my domain," the hooded creature rasped, staring at me with brightly glowing eyes. "How did you get in here?"

_How the hell should I know?_ I wondered, not really knowing how to respond; truthfully, I didn't even know what was going on. _It's not like I did it on purpose._

"There are only two ways in here: a meditation mirror, and fire," the hooded figure hissed, making me blink. "How did you get in here?"

"Fire," I sleepily retorted, swaying back and forth as the tingles swept through me. "I touched a fire... and now I'm warm."

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" the creature in red roared, somehow extending its height until it towered over me. "HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY DOMAIN?!"

"I don't know," I stated sleepily, staring up at the creature with a tired demeanor. "All I really wanted was to be warm... so I tried to touch a fire, and then... here I was."

"That isn't possible," another voice called, making me blink and slowly turn my head; a figure wearing a yellow cloak and circular glasses was standing at the edge of the fire ring and staring right at me with stern violet eyes. "Only those who have a demon's blood running through them can access places like these through the fire gates. And even then, those who _can use _fire gates aren't stupid enough to try coming _here."_

"I'm not a demon," I scoffed, actually cracking an amused grin; I mean, who could blame me? It was absurd. "I'm really not anything like that. Honest. All I did was touch the fire: something pulled me, and I ended up falling through it to this place, wherever the hell it is."

"How did you get here?" the yellow figure asked, gliding around the fire without taking its eyes off of me. "Do you remember?"

"I was cold... I'm always so cold that it shakes my body, so I kind of got tired of it," I explained, tilting my head around and around like a girl trying to sun herself on a beach. "I did something stupid and stuck my hand in a fire, just for the sake of feeling warm for once, but when I started burning... a type of shadow caught me and I fell through the fire. I landed here, saw that hooded thing, and here we are. End of story."

"Cold...?" the yellow figure wondered aloud, seeming to be pondering something; however, after a moment, its eyes popped open wide and it looked at me with a startled expression. "Are you Hell-Touched?"

"Hell-touched?" I asked, quirking a thick eyebrow in confusion. "What's that?"

"When a mortal dies and is brought back by a higher power," the yellow-clad figure rasped, pushing its spectacles up its unseen nose, "they are no longer human. They become what we call Hell-touched. It is believed the force that killed them becomes their greatest strength after they've been reborn... are you one of those beings?"

"Uh, no?" I uncertainly proffered, frowning at the figure. "Not that I know of."

"Lies," the figure in red hissed, making me turn. "I can sense the power radiating from her. The flames enshrouding her are also proof."

_What the hell have they been smoking__?_ I wondered, feeling kind of dazed. _Are_ _these things are trying to say I'm a superhero...?_

"How you use your abilities is your choice," the yellow figure answered, speaking as if it had read my mind; then, its eyelid twitched, possibly with a hint of annoyance. "And please stop referring to me as 'it'. I am a woman."

Yup, it was definitely annoyed.

It was mad.

BOTH were mad.

They glared at me, anger crossing their pale mouths.

_Huh, how come I can't read their thoughts?_ I wondered idly; their eyes twitched again in synchronicity. _Hey, if you can hear me, it's an honest question._

So saying, I decided to walk around the red figure in an attempt to leave. The foster home had to be somewhere, so I'd get there eventually. However, the fire moved to close the opening it had walked through. I mentally shrugged and lifted my foot, but something dark shot out of the red figure's cloak and ensnared my shoulders without warning.

"Those flames may not burn you," it hissed, glaring at me, "but this is _our_ realm. Even at your best, we will be stronger than you."

"Aren't you nice?" I trilled sarcastically.

"We don't want to hurt you," the yellow figure stated firmly, "but we will if we have to."

"Yes," I agreed, staring at her with an emotionless visage. "After all, violence solves everything."

Before I could speak another word, I heard a ringing sound and turned my head to spot a wave of shadow flying at me.

When it touched me, I twitched and found myself staring at the fire in the kitchen. Miss Figgins was puttering around in her apron, and the smell of cooking food had filled the room. I had fallen asleep like I'd thought, but man, that had been one hell of a weird dream. After a moment, however, I realized that I was no longer shivering... but surely, the iciness was coming back. I waited, not bothering to open my eyes again. Sleepiness still plagued me. I didn't want to get up from the kitchen floor... plus, my laziness didn't help. The sound of Miss Figgins humming as she cooked was a gentle reminder of the family I'd lost, and it lulled me. Peace. After a moment, I cracked my first smile since the disaster.

The cold was back, but at least I knew there was one place that could make me feel warm.

The dream land with the odd hooded figures.

* * *

**Author's note and disclaimer:** _I do not own anything from DC comics, Image Comics, or anything that was originally within the Teen Titans. All Original characters, plots, themes, and settings belong to me. This is not your average, fast-paced "poof! into the Titans!" kind of story, so if that is what you came for, disappointment awaits. However, if you came for a well-paced tale full of self-discovery, teen drama, chilling suspense, mysterious circumstances, budding romance, lots of angst, and your favorite **Canon** superheroes fighting crime, you're in the right section. :)_

_This is going to be one hell of a ride, so kick back and relax._

_Also, made a preview/trailer for the story! If you want to manually find it the easy way, type this into the youtube search bar:_

_**Teen Titans: Deathstroke's Kiss (Fanfiction Preview)**_

_A video should pop up. Trust me, if you want an idea on how this story might indeed turn out, I would recommend watching it. Especially because of the person who did the voice over... I swear to god, I was shocked when I received a private message from her on here._

_And you won't believe it, because until I heard her voice on the returning file, I didn't either._

_**THE VOICEOVER WAS LITERALLY DONE BY CHERAMI LEIGH! :D **_

_**AKA,** the **SAME FAMOUS VOICE ACTRESS** who gave **Lucy Heartfilia** from **Fairy Tail** and **Asuna Yuki** from **Sword Art Online** their FREAKING **ENGLISH DUBS**! SHE ACTUALLY READ MY FANFICTIONS AND OFFERED TO DO A FREAKING VOICEOVER, SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_

_Apparently, she was brought to my stories from my Tears Left Uncried trailer._

_She was looking for inuyasha fanfic videos, saw mine, and found all my work._

_Including my stories: of those, she's stated she loves two of them so far. This one, and Monster Man._

_She's currently reading Tears Left Uncried, lmao! __I'm freaking out... omg, you all just HAVE to see it! _

_I am LITERALLY going nuts on my end! _

_If you want a specific link, type this without the spaces: **h_t_t_p_s_:_/_/_w_w_w_._y_o_u_t_u_b_e_._c_o_m_/watch?v=cn2XPjp-r4o&amp;ab_channel=AaronLedgers**_

_Enjoy. ^_^_


	2. Chapter 1: Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore'

**Chapter One: Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore!'**

I instinctively knew when I woke up the next morning that it was going to be a bad day.

I was cramping, I was cold, and the two of them put together made me irritable: never a good combination.

Even so, I kept my stoic demeanor up when Miss Figgins ushered me and a few other kids outside after eating a hearty breakfast of cereal and toast.

"Lordy, kids, here comes the bus!" the black woman laughed, pointing towards the door. "Get your bags and let's go! Mimi, don't forget your glasses!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" the little girl chirped, grabbing them. "Thank you!"

"Timmy, your shoe laces!" the woman called, hustling over and bending down. "Here we go..."

"Thank you, Mama Figgins!" he exclaimed, giving her a hug. "I love you!"

"Love you, too, peanut!" the woman chuckled, patting his back to get him going. "Have a wonderful day, all of you! And remember!"

"Smile big and be happy!" all nine kids, myself included, chanted.

"That's my babies!" the woman laughed, waving at them. "Now git! You're gonna miss the bus!"

I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes, feeling somewhat amused: I had to admit, Mrs. Figgins was a wonderful woman... I'd never met such an enthusiastic matron at any of the foster homes I've ever been to. She really did feel like a mother figure sometimes, and she genuinely worried about every child under the Foster House's care. Then again, I actually spent the most time with her during the day since she also doubled as the cook.

I sighed, hefting my backpack as the large yellow vehicle lumbered up the road. When the school bus pulled up and the doors opened, I made my way up the stairs behind the other kids, but the moment I was sitting, I closed my eyes and set my head against the leather of the chair in front of me. I was exhausted from lack of sleep. I hoped the bus ride would last a long time because of how tired I was, but I had to face reality.

Unfortunately, we were third from the last stop.

No real naptime for me.

I opened my eyes when we got to the middle-schoolers' and elementary-schoolers' stop, watching them run for the doors like the energetic little dynamos they were. I watched until they were all inside, then sighed and placed my head against the leather in front of me once more.

The bus began to move again and the school quickly disappeared behind the tall skyscrapers of Downtown Jump City. I closed my eyes again and thought about my upcoming Calculus exam.

Math and science were really hard on me, but History, Language Arts, and Creative Writing were my favorite subjects.

I loved learning about events that had changed the course of humanity, and I absolutely adored how words could be used to create an engaging, mind-boggling world written entirely on paper. People could use nothing but a pen, a piece of paper, and their mind to paint a vivid picture in someone's mind that would last for a lifetime.

It felt almost magical to me, in a strange sort of way.

When the high school finally came into view, I glanced back at the other students still there. A familiar redhead who lived at the House was sitting in the very back with one of my classmates, a beautiful girl with pale skin and platinum blonde hair. The redhead was already putting her I-Pod away and hefting her bag, After a moment, though, she caught my stare and flashed me an adorable smile, giving me a tiny wave.

I merely blinked and awkwardly nodded in her direction.

When the bus pulled in, everyone grabbed their things and got up: I waited until everyone got off to even stand up. Feeling disgruntled, shivering from the cold, and sore from the cramps... I followed them down the stairs of the bus, blowing a strand of my curly hair out of my eyes as the chilly air brushed against my face.

Then I realized something and paused: everyone was standing in place and staring up at the sky. Nobody was moving. Nobody was talking.

It was so quiet that the only thing I could hear was the wind in the grass.

Looking around at all the students staring up at the sky, I followed suit and glanced up.

I blinked and felt a strange prickle run down my spine when I realized that it had become completely overcast in under thirty minutes.

And as I stood there, I felt something strange... something within me went numb.

A ringing sensation slowly filled my ears and an odd blue haze filled my vision as I stood there, staring at the sky.

Then the bell rang, startling everyone who'd stopped to stare. I sighed when chatter about the sky erupted everywhere, looking after the bus with wistful eyes as it drove away. I was exhausted and in a bad mood, so all I really wanted to do was sleep. I slumped my shoulders for a moment, allowing myself a little time to be upset. Then, after straightening my shoulders and hefting my bag even further onto my back, I strode up the walkway of Murakami Academy and made my way to my first period.

After taking my seat and unpacking my things, I cracked my notebook open and began to study the formulas I'd memorized.

And it was in that moment when the usual morning routine began.

"Crackhead! Psst! Crackhead! Can I get a fix?" Jareth Malham-captain of Murakami Academy's football team and royal pain in the ass-exclaimed in an overly loud whisper. "Actually, never mind: I don't think I'd ever want to be a twitch-case like you!"

All of the boys and most of the girls in the room burst into laughter upon hearing Jareth's latest mockery of me, as per usual.

I'd often wondered if they'd cut back on the insults if I actually stood up for myself, but that would have involved wasting breath and energy that I could be using for other things, such as trying to get warm. I'd never willingly spoken to anyone other than the teachers, anyway, and even when I was called on I only gave them a curt, one or two-worded response. I guess you could say that I was fitting in at school about as well as I fit in everywhere else... which isn't very well at all. I was transferred into a private Academy that has kids who've been classmates since they were pretty much in diapers, which means that I'm not _a_ new girl; I'm _the_ new girl.

Even worse, I'm _the_ new girl who was seen riding in the car of the most popular boy in school, Samuel Malham, on her first day in Jump City.

Making that decision had been stupid of me, I'll admit it flat out.

I shouldn't have accepted his offer to drive me home that day, but it had been raining buckets and I was soaked to the bone because I didn't exactly own an umbrella. Plus, how the hell should I have known it was gonna rain? I mean, California has almost no storms. Ever. Forget thunderstorms, even RAIN storms are rare. However, I hadn't known that Sam was Jareth's little brother, and I definitely hadn't known that the guy would take my actions the wrong way.

Because he had, in fact, taken it in a very wrong way.

You see, when Sam had driven me about halfway home, he'd made a stop at the local supermarket and pretty much demanded that the cashier take a picture of us to commemorate my very first day in Jump City: she'd had a self-developing camera that printed high-quality images in school-portrait sizes, and he'd refused to leave the store until a picture of us was taken together.

I hadn't really wanted to get a picture taken, especially since I was completely soaked, but he'd grinned so widely once the photo was developed that I hadn't minded. Apparently, the goof had genuinely thought it was a sign of good luck that my very first day in Jump City, period, had been a rainy one.

And yet... even now, I really don't understand why he'd tucked that picture into his pocket.

He'd told me it was for good luck, but who would want a picture of me as a good luck charm? I mean, I wasn't exactly a special catch, ya know?

Still, Samuel was a good guy, so it was no wonder he was the most popular boy in school: his auburn hair was messy, but stylish... and truth be told, he was kinda hot for a ginger.

On the other hand, Jareth... the witty jock and part-time comedian... was the jerk who'd left half of my English Literature class pissing themselves from laughing at me. I hadn't done anything funny, really: I'd simply been forced to speak in class - for the first and last time, ever - by reading a lyrical poem that I'd written in under five minutes as a class assignment.

I hadn't expected my teacher to be so cruel: she'd threatened to give me detention if I didn't read it out loud, but Jareth had latched onto the flaws in my work and used it to get a rise out of people.

Don't get me wrong: Jareth is a really funny guy, and it's true that he has a talent for making people laugh. I mean, you can tell the difference between true comedian and a fake one if you can still feel the ugly little knives he stuck into you for weeks afterwards.

I think he was simply peeved because I had politely turned down his offer to go to the movies with him and his friends the week before.

I will admit that I was kind of surprised when he'd asked me, though. On top of being a shivering wreck, I'm an extremely antisocial girl, which is pretty much an attraction-killer: the combination of my looks and my attitude don't really go well together. I feel like I live my life behind a veil... sort of like I can see other people, but they can't really see me. Like they can only see a shadow of the girl I truly am inside... but hey, that's okay.

I'm happy not being figured out.

In fact, I like being alone.

But ever since word had gotten out that I'd been in that horrid car nine months ago, Jareth had been a total dick to me.

As for everyone else?

They were neutral most of the time.

However, that morning, I was extremely edgy from the cold and I was cramping like bitch, which was why Jareth's mocking set me off. So, in an almost irresistible desire to shut him up for once, I finally decided to see what would happen if I actually fired back a retort.

"No, Jareth, if you're looking for a fix you should try looking somewhere else," I said smoothly, cocking my hip and flicking my curly blonde hair out of my eyes. "Did you happen to see my football lying anywhere around here, though? Oh, wait a minute... that's right, I don't have one. Because unlike you, I'm not a moron."

The laughter died immediately and the room instantly became silent as a few jaws dropped open in surprise. My lips twitched in amusement when I realized that most of the shock had been caused more by the fact that I'd spoken than the fact that I'd just insulted the captain of the football team. Jareth cocked an eyebrow and strode up to me without fear.

"What did you say to me, twerp?" he demanded.

Even though he was nearly two feet taller, I stood my ground and met his gaze evenly.

"See? I rest my case!" I replied, rolling my eyes sarcastically before I looked at him again. "Long story short, I said you're stupid. Did you get it this time?"

"Are you calling me stupid?" Jareth demanded, expression darkening with anger.

"Uh, duh?" I huffed, cocking my head to the side and looking at him curiously. "Are you deaf or something? Or is it simply the fact that you have an IQ percentage of seventy-five that's rendering you incapable of understanding what I'm saying?"

"If you weren't a girl, I'd have busted your mouth in for an insult like that," Jareth snapped, ears turning red. "You'd better watch how you talk to me from now on: I'll have some of my lady friends kick your ass if you're not careful."

"Oh, is that so?" I inquired, cocking an amused eyebrow before I sadly shook my head. "So, you're actually a sexist as well as an idiot? You need to get a girl to fight me because you can't fight me by yourself? Hah! I guess it figures: almost all of you football fanatics are morons, but you're the captain of them, so I should have expected nothing less."

Jareth's face turned crimson and his neck bulged in anger.

"Are you trying to pick a fight?" he hissed. "If so, it won't work. I don't hit girls, even if they ARE Crackheads."

Every single pair of eyes in the room remained locked onto my face in shock as I shrugged.

"Good, because I don't fight people who can't defend themselves," I stated in a bored tone of voice, keeping my face completely and utterly blank. "Back in Oklahoma, I won fifty-three MMA competitions in a row because people underestimated me."

Almost instantly, his face smoothed and he blinked... then he smirked.

"Fifty three MMA competitions?" he scoffed, moving towards me and leaning on my desk. "Yeah right. With those skinny arms, you couldn't possibly have won any athletic competition, much less a fighting one!"

When he gripped my arm and attempted to make a show of squeezing it to get a rise out of everyone, I drew the line and stood up. I could handle teasing, but one thing I absolutely hated was people touching me. In the blink of an eye, I gripped his wrist at the joints and exerted pressure between his knuckles.

Within ten seconds, the same arm that had been touching me was pinned against the back of a flailing boy who was being kept facedown on the floor with his ass in the air. And me? Well, I was standing over him in all my shivering glory, keeping him there.

"If you still think you're strong enough to beat me, I implore you, bring it on," I droned, looking down at him with my most frigid expression. "But in the nicest way possible, if you EVER touch me again, I won't hesitate to put you in the hospital."

"Ow, ow, ow..." Jareth hissed, then gave me a faltering grin. "That hurts... you're breaking my arm, Curly. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"

My eye twitched, since almost everyone at school calls me either Crackhead or Curly because of my shivers or my hair. I don't think anyone even knew what my real name was anymore.

"Because, I'm tired of listening to you talk shit about me each and every day for six hours," I retorted, finally releasing his arm and cocking my hip. "Now, leave me alone, asshole."

When he stood back up and he backed off a step, cradling his hand, I rubbed my shivering arms and sighed before stalking over to my desk in the back of the room. Then I sat down and started looking out the window.

He had irritated me so much... it was kind of funny that the weather was starting to match my mood.

Rain always made me feel... wait... what? It NEVER rained in this part of California!

I had just explained that in my droning monologue, so why was it raining?!

"What the hell?" I asked, stiffening in surprise and standing up so abruptly that everyone jumped; they still weren't over the shock I'd given them seconds earlier, even if I already was. "Whoa! No way! Hey, look! It's raining! It's raining outside!"

My classmates instantly looked out the window, but eyes widened all around when they saw that it was true: everyone instantly hurried over to the window and pressed their noses against the glass, including me, since the clouds were slowly forming out of nothing. Or, at least, that's what it looked like to me... and as odd as it's going to sound, they really did start matching my mood.

It was almost bizarre.

"Hello everyone!" our teacher, Mr. Crawford, called, shaking his bag free of water as he hurried inside the classroom. "Sorry I'm late! Wonderful weather, right? It just started coming down out of nowhere! Okay, okay, yes, it's raining, but you should all take your seats and open your world history books to page seventy-five. We're going over the report on African culture day after tomorrow and I want to be sure that you're well prepared."

Everyone instantly sat down, but I lingered by the window longer than I should have.

My shoulders felt weaker and weaker the longer I stared at the clouds: I had fallen into a daze, and because of it, the shivers had started fading somehow.

However, after a moment, I shook myself free of my stupor since Mr. Crawford expectantly cleared his throat.

Then, class began.

Sadly, though, the weather only worsened as time went on. It rained harder, and harder, and then... finally...

A flash.

Then...

BOOOOOOOM!

Every girl in the room aside from myself jumped with a startled scream, and even a few of the boys yelped; I, on the other hand, merely stared out the window with a slack jaw. I mean, seriously, it was unbelievable: lightning in Jump City, California? Get real! Anyone would have laughed! But there it was: thunder and lightning.

"Wow," I deadpanned, leaning away from the window and squinting when another bolt ripped through the sky and thunder roared across the metropolis like a mighty lion. "Whew, it's storming pretty good out there. Weird. Isn't California supposed to have, like, no severe thunderstorms?"

The girl sitting next to me opened her mouth to say something, but another blue flash exploded not too far away from the school. Several girls shrieked and ducked when the windows of Murakami Academy's history classroom rattled in their frames. I, on the other hand, froze in awe: the lightning didn't scare me at all... truthfully, I found it to be utterly fascinating. Right around that moment, the principle's voice came through the speakers.

"All teachers are to report to the conference room right away," the old woman stated. "Students, please remain seated until your teacher returns. That is all."

"Oh, dear, that doesn't sound good," Mr. Crawford muttered, worriedly looking at all of us. "All right, behave yourselves while I'm gone. I'll be back soon."

So saying, he hurried out of the room and swept down the hall at a brisk pace.

"I wonder what's going on?" a girl sitting not to far away whispered. "It's kinda unusual."

"Maybe we're about to have a drill, or maybe someone broke into the school again," another girl replied. "Remember that one guy? With the green skin?"

"You mean the one who threw mud at Sarah?" a dark skinned youth sitting not too far away inquired. "That guy who's with the Titans? What was his name...? Something with a 'B'."

"It's probably not like that," a blonde girl sitting not even two rows away sighed, staring at her desk. "Anyway, he really just had the wrong girl, and I think he knows that now, so maybe it's just a faculty meeting or something. Who knows?"

"Still kind of scary, though," a dark-skinned girl sitting beside her chuckled. "But hey, at least I can take a break without the teacher crabbing at me."

I tuned them out after a moment, wishing I could go to sleep.

Even now, I was cold... but the sight of the unexpected storm was doing wonders with helping me forget how badly I was shivering. After nearly ten minutes of waiting, students began to get worried... but then, half an hour later, our teacher walked back into the room with spooked eyes.

"Okay guys, settle down," Mr. Crawford called, moving to stand in front of his desk. "Listen up, kids! I know it's highly unusual, but today we're going to be ending classes earlier than normal due to some rather strange and unexpected weather patterns moving our way from the east of the county. School is closing for the day! Those of you who walk will be riding the bus, so go get your things. As for the rest of you, we've already started calling your parents, so there's no need to worry."

Curious conversation immediately started among the students since we hadn't even hit lunch yet.

I, on the other hand, felt my heart skip a beat.

And for a moment, I actually felt scared without really knowing why.

"What kind of weather patterns?" I carefully inquired, staring at him with emotionless eyes when he froze. "You said unexpected... but how so?"

He blinked and gave me a frown, as though I was in the wrong for asking.

"It's nothing you should worry about, Miss Rossetti," he stated calmly, making me scowl; I hated it when people used my last name. "Go get your things."

"I already have them, since I'm a rule breaker," I drawled, lifting my bag up before turning to look out the window. While everyone was scrambling to get their things from their lockers, however, my eyes became fixated on the clouds. They were dark... and they seemed to be frothing a lot. The weirdest part? Even though I'd never once seen clouds like that, they looked familiar. "Huh... it's like a memory from a dream. Weird."

Without even realizing it, however, my eyes started skimming across the clouds in a circular manner: slowly, they flicked around... and around... and around... and before I knew what was happening, my mind started glazing over. My pupils were slowly obscured with a rippling blue haze that spread across my vision, but before I could figure out what was happening to my eyesight, someone touched my shoulder and I blinked.

The haze in my eyes instantly vanished the moment my focus was torn from the sky.

"Hey," Sarah, the girl with pale blonde hair, murmured; she was staring at me with nervous blue eyes. "Um, my parents are out of town right now, and since... well, you know, all this weather stuff is going on... do you want to come over to my place?"

I stared at her for a full ten seconds, not comprehending her offer.

"I can't," I drawled, looking around to find that everyone aside from the teacher had already left for the gym. "I have to go back to the foster home. Miss Figgins will worry if I don't."

"See, that's the thing," the blonde girl sighed, awkwardly rubbing her arm before she gestured for someone standing near the door to come in; a small girl with frizzy red hair, mountains of freckles, and brilliant green eyes instantly shuffled over with hesitant movements. "This girl is from the same orphanage that you live in, and since... well, since nobody's coming to get you guys, she figured it'd be smarter to invite you to come, too."

I stared at her even harder, not really processing what she was saying.

"What do you mean nobody's coming?" I deadpanned, gazing into her pale blue eyes without blinking. "Miss Figgins has her own car, and the orphanage itself has six vans for emergencies. They're completely capable of driving."

"Miss Figgins and the head matron had to take Little Aggie to the hospital," the redhead nervously chirped, huddling down when I glanced at her. "And since Miss Rosemary is legally blind, she can't drive the vans. We'll be stuck here until after the gates close if we wait, and walking outside isn't a good idea."

As if a higher power were underlining that last statement, a bolt of lightning lanced a tree not too far away from the school. The blue reflected in my eyes when I slowly turned my head: my hair was standing up all over my body, and I could feel the charge.

Which was basically a big sign that the bolt had been dangerously close to the building.

"Yeah, probably not a good idea to walk out in that," I sighed, looking at the clouds once again. "It's beautiful, but I'm not that stupid."

"I've already told Mister Crawford," the blonde girl murmured, giving a little shrug before she straightened her thigh-length skirt. "You're more than welcome to come wait at my place. There's plenty of room."

"Do you have a heater?" I asked, making her blink in startled confusion; she instantly cocked her head and frowned. "I mean, a portable one?"

"Uh, yeah..." she murmured, looking seriously perplexed. "We also have a fireplace, but we never use it because it's always warm in Jump City."

"Can I use them?" I asked, lifting my arms and rubbing myself with glazed teal eyes. "I can't go unless you say yes. I swear to God, I'll freeze to death."

"Um, sure, I guess," the blonde girl sighed, accepting my weirdness despite her baffled demeanor; then she held out her hand. "I'm Sarah Collins. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Sally Beth," I murmured, shaking her hand; she blinked when she noticed my shivering, but to her credit, she said nothing. "No last name."

"Well, I'm Amber McKlaren," the redhead timidly piped up, lifting a small hand and looking at the two of us with shy eyes. "Just in case you wanted to know... I mean, we have lived together for almost a year now. About time we finally introduced ourselves to each other."

Another flash from the windows made the two girls flinch, but I didn't even bat an eyelash: the sky didn't scare me for some reason.

In fact, it made me feel calmer, weird as it probably sounds.

"I think we should get going now," Sarah muttered, glancing out the window with nervous eyes. "Those clouds don't look good."

When the two girls made for the hall, I was a bit slower to follow.

Especially when we went outside and made our way towards the buses.

When my hair started rising, I glanced up almost instinctively: then, as if I were accepting a gift from the clouds, I raised my hands.

And lightning flashed out of the sky, sending me falling once again through the portal of fire and straight into... a flowery pink garden?

"Huh?" I wondered, staring at everything in bliss; I was warm again... blessedly warm. "Well, if this place is heaven, I think I could be happy for eternity."

A fit of cheerful giggling immediately broke out, catching my attention: I tilted my head back to find myself staring into the face of the most pale girl I'd ever seen. She had large, beautiful violet eyes and a dark bob-cut with an odd blue sheen to it: her smile was vivid, and she was wearing a pink cloak. My eyes flitted to her forehead, where a small diamond-like bead had been embedded onto her skin.

"Hello!" she cheerfully greeted, making me blink at her. "How'd you get here?"

"Got hit by a bolt of lightning on my way out of the schoolyard and fell through a portal made of fire," I explained, giving her a shrug when she gasped and stared at me in awe. "I really don't know, but this place is so warm that I really don't even care. Plus, it's smells good here."

The smile was instantly back in place and a fit of gleeful giggles overtook the pink-wearing beauty.

"Beast Boy once said that this smells like the land where Air Freshener's are from," she giggled, wriggling around in delight. "I'm glad you like my domain!"

_Domain_? I wondered, scratching my head as two more hooded figures came to mind_. Eh? That's weird... weren't they yellow and red?_

"Oh, that was Rage and Knowledge," the girl giggled, making me stare at her. "They're nice, so don't worry!"

I still had yet to figure out how these hooded girls could read my mind

"Whoa! Happy, who is that?!" another voice exclaimed, making me look around; I blinked and stared with somewhat larger eyes as another girl wearing a green cloak rippled out of nothingness and started walking towards us. Then I gasped, because she levitated off the ground and flew towards us like a wraith: when she leaned in close to my face, I stared at her feet with enormous eyes. "Huuuh! Curly blonde hair, big eyes, great complexion! Yep! Uh-huh! I know exactly who this lady is!"

"Who?" Happy cheerfully giggled. "Who is she?"

"A stranger!" the green-clad person bellowed, thrusting her finger out in triumph. "She is a stranger!"

When I gave her a half-lidded look of total disbelief, the pink-clad girl started laughing hysterically and the green-clad girl took her hood off.

Which led to yet another double-take since the two of them looked completely identical.

"Whoa," I muttered, staring at them in confusion. "Are you two twins or something?!"

Before they could respond, more figures rippled out of nothing, led by the familiar yellow figure wearing glasses.

"So, you've returned," the spectacle-wearing figure murmured, making me blink. "What are you planning?"

"Y-y-yeah!" a figure in a grey cloak stammered. "We've already alerted R-Raven to the fact that something is wrong, s-s-so the... the j-j-j-jig is up!"

"Just you wait," the red-clad figure hissed, smiling in a devilish manner. "When she gets here, you'll be destroyed."

"Um, could I ask you something?" I asked, shaking my head in bewilderment. "What the hell is going on around here, and where the heck am I? And who is Raven?"

"I am," a monotonous voice stated in a dangerous tone, making me freeze; when my legs were unexpectedly engulfed in a black shadow that looked like a giant hand, a ringing sensation filled the air and I let out a shriek. Then I was literally dragged into the air and held upside down. "Who are you?"

"Um..." I stammered, not able to see anything. "Well, my name is Sa..."

Before anything else could be said, a jolt of shadow sent me flying through another wormhole made of fire.

When I twitched, I suddenly found myself staring at the sky I had been looking at before the lightning had come down.

My hands were still raised and I was still staring at the frothing clouds.

"Sally, come on! Hurry!" Sarah called, waving at me from the bus door: everyone had already gotten on, and I was soaked. My pleated blue skirt and white dress shirt were literally dripping with water, and my hair was hanging in heavy curls down to my waist. "You're getting wet! Come ON!"

"Sorry!" I croaked, shivering violently as the cold returned with a flash; I practically died on the spot, since it seeped through me like ice through water. "I'm c-c-c-c-coming!"

Thus, I got on the bus, not really knowing that the storm forming overhead would soon alter my future forever.

Just like the one last year.


	3. Chapter 2: Whirlwind

**Chapter Two: Whirlwind**

That afternoon, I went to someone else's house for the first time ever.

Unfortunately, the people I was going with were kind of weird: I was currently sitting squished between Sarah and Amber on the school bus as they bickered about who was going to clean out the cage of some anti-social raccoon that had clawed Sarah's arm when she'd tried to change the bandage on its wounded paw. Where they had even gotten a raccoon, I had yet to figure out.

"But seriously, Sarah!" the redhead stammered awkwardly. "I don't wanna go near that thing!"

"Chill out! It's not such a big deal, right?" Sarah grumpily scolded. "It's not like you haven't helped out with the animals before, and you know how I am when it comes to getting injuries! But my dad can't do it since he isn't here, so... unless it's absolutely necessary that you don't go near them, I really do need your help!"

"Well, if me helping you is necessary to keep you from feeling like a guilty mother hen who accidentally cracked open one of her eggs," Amber retorted with a disinterested little shrug, "fine, I'll do it. Are you happy now? I'll help the damn raccoon!"

"A mother hen?" Sarah scoffed, looking at the redhead in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Yep: a mother hen, Sarah... that's you," Amber said. "Always clucking around like a grumpy old chicken."

"If I'm a grumpy mama hen, you're a vain fashion peacock!" Sarah retorted with a pouting scowl. "Always strutting around and preening your feathers in a futile attempt to look prettier!

"As if!" Amber snorted. "I know you'd give anything to be a peacock instead of a chicken!"

"No way!" Sarah snapped. "I'd rather be a noble red-tailed hawk than a vain peacock!"

"You're such a chicken!" Amber scoffed.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"I am not a chicken, you pompous peacock lover!" Sarah shrieked angrily, waving her arms. "Get it right!"

"You are so a chicken! Cluck, cluck!" Amber laughed, flapping her arms and bobbing her head outrageously.

I watched the argument become weirder and weirder with each passing second, cocking a confused eyebrow as more demonstrations of silliness were performed in front of me. My eyelid began to twitch as the argument progressed even further until, finally, it became a full-blown bird-brained insult-throwing competition-literally.

"Um, excuse me," I finally sighed, halting their argument for a moment, "but is there any possible way for you to wait until we're off the bus to argue? I'm feeling a bit claustrophobic, here."

Almost immediately, a bolt of lightning punctuated my words, lighting up the windows. I felt a little shiver run through me after the thunder crackled nearby: for some reason, I had been given a strange impression that the lightning had struck to emphasize my words alone. It was strange, but it was only a feeling. Regardless, Sarah looked rather embarrassed.

"Yeah, sorry... we're kind of weird," the blonde sighed, then looked at me and took note of my shivering. "Anyway, how are you feeling? You've been shaking like crazy the whole ride, and it kinda has me worried."

I took a breath and stretched my arms, arching my back with hesitant movements.

"No need to worry," I stated, shaking my head before pushing a strand of tangled hair out of my face. "This is n-n-normal for me."

"You said earlier that you've taken MMA classes, right?" Sarah curiously inquired, giving me a look. "Where did you learn to fight?"

"Well," I sighed, shrugging a little, "I learned most of it from my gymnastics teacher back in Oklahoma. She used to teach martial arts and thought I had potential, so she gave me free lessons."

"Gymnastics?!" Amber exclaimed excitedly, bouncing a bit. "Wow! So, you actually know how to do flips and stuff, too?! That's totally awesome! So, if you did gymnastics, does that mean you know how to move your body like a contortionist?"

"U-um..." I stammered, shrugging my shoulders a little as the bus rocked to and fro. "Well, sorta... I mean, I've always been flexible."

"Wow..." Sarah murmured with an impressed expression. "You know, I'd bet anything that if you opened up a bit more to other people, they'd like you a lot. You seem really interesting, Sally."

"Thanks," I murmured, feeling kind of surprised, "but... well, nerdy girls really don't fit in with the popular crowd. Since I'm not a drop-dead-gorgeous blonde, or even a cute redhead, I can't rely on my looks to make me popular. Personality isn't what people look for right off the bat."

"Yeah, I guess," Amber murmured, then looked out at the thundering sky and added, "but you know? Sarah is a nerd, and _she_could walk through the mosh pit at a Lollapalooza and come out the other side looking like one of those supermodels in Glamour Magazine."

"Excuse me?" Sarah squeaked, ivory cheeks turning bright red. "Amber! That is so not true! I have, like, no fashion sense! Someday I'll probably show up to my own wedding dressed in a flannel shirt, skinny jeans, and socks that don't match."

Amber looked at her in sheer horror.

"Okay, if you ever want me to attend your wedding, then you'll at least need to wear matching socks, heeled boots, and fashionable jeans with a cute-looking tank-top," the redhead stated seriously, shaking her head. "I'm telling you right now that I won't be seen walking up to you on your wedding day and asking, 'Oh, Sarah, Dear! Where did you get those amazing clothes? The Banana Republic? The Gap? Or is that a new express line?' and watch you twirl around like a ballerina, shouting for all the world to hear, 'You like it? It's part of the Ralph Lauren Animal Poop collection!'"

Sarah burst into hysterical gales of laughter almost instantaneously.

I felt a bead of sweat run down the side of my forehead when I realized she was cracking up so badly that she couldn't breathe.

"Oh, man!" Sarah squealed out between her heavy fits of laughter, cracking up so hard that tears began streaming down the sides of her tomato-red face. "The saddest thing about that mental picture is the fact that I can SO see it happening one day!"

"I mean it, Sarah!" Amber exclaimed, snapping her fingers in a diva-like fashion. "Look, you can wear those jeans with the raccoon poop stains on the legs if you want to! You can wear those dirty, smelly overalls if you feel like it! Hell, you can even wear those crusty rubber boots for all I care-but please, girlfriend, buy a dress for your wedding!"

She folded her hands and shook them in front of her on the word 'dress,' looking as though she were pretending to be little Oliver begging the King for another bowl of porridge. Sarah burst into even harder fits of laughter and shockingly enough, I soon joined in with a few giggles of my own: every kid on the bus was staring at us by that point, but several people were grinning since the blonde's laughter was startlingly contagious.

"R-raccoon poop stains?" I hesitantly inquired. "How on earth did that happen?"

"Long s-story short, my dad asked me to take over cleaning the cages at our clinic a while back," Sarah cackled, looking up at the ceiling with a huge, dazed grin before she sat up, "and I ended up falling down on a raccoon turd. My favorite pair of jeans got stained."

I shook my head with a sigh.

"Like I said," Amber groaned, "let me take you shopping! I want to buy you some cloooothes!"

"I've told you a thousand times, I can't!" Sarah groaned, hooking a strand of light, cornflower hair behind her ear. "I have to help my dad with the animals every day, Amber, and if you think it isn't time consuming, you're totally wrong!"

"Ugh!" the redhead grumbled. "I wish he would give you a break one of these days!"

"Darn," Sarah agreed, shaking her head and clucking her tongue with mock helplessness. "Now I can't trail behind you for three hours while you power-shop and guys drool all over you. Oh, what a pity! Oh, life is so cruel!"

She began fluttering her long, blonde eyelashes and clutched her heart in over-exaggerated distress.

Amber made a face when the her friend burst into laughter once again, but after a moment of scowling she joined in.

"Well, hey," she chuckled, finally giving in. "Sick animals are more important than buying jeans that don't have poop stains on them."

"You could come and help out at my place more often, you know," Sarah said with a reproachful glance. "I'd be happy if you did, actually."

"Like I'd ever willingly get an animal's used lunch under my perfectly-manicured nails," Amber snorted, turning her nose up. "Like, ew?"

"Come help out tomorrow, too, and I'll convince my dad to let you take me shopping when he gets back," Sarah said in a sly, sing-song voice as a mischievous grin spread across her face. "I'll even let you pick out the new pair of jeans for me..."

Even a socially-awkward girl like me could see that Sarah was baiting her.

"Wait, real jeans? Not some pair of blue cardboard-looking bargain jeans?" Amber asked in disbelief, biting her own lip as a dreamy look flashed across her face. "Of course, you'll need a nice top to go with them..."

"Deal," Sarah stated with a triumphant laugh: she had completely set her trap, "but only if you ask the matrons to come over tomorrow."

"I hate it when you do this to me!" the redhead groaned. "Fine, it's a deal."

"Yay! Alright!" Sarah squealed excitedly, jumping up and down like a little girl before she stopped and looked at me hopefully. "Would you like to come and help, too, Sally? I could use all the assistants I can get because a lot of animals need medical care. It's been hectic by myself since my parents are gone for the week... I'd appreciate it."

I shifted my weight and pushed my hair out of my eyes, looking at her hopeful blue eyes.

She looked so excited that I couldn't say no and risk seeing disappointment. Honestly, I don't think anybody could say no to a face like that and get away with it guilt-free.

"Sure," I finally stated, rubbing my arms. "As long as I can use your heater and wear a spare jacket while I'm doing so."

After that, they were silent for a few minutes.

"I'm getting a headache," Amber suddenly muttered, pressing a hand against her temple before she looked up at the sky; the frothing had stopped in the clouds, but for some reason the rain just kept coming down. "Is it because of the storm?"

"Probably," I stated simply, ignoring how both of them glanced at me. "Back in Oklahoma, changing weather patterns can cause migraines for people who aren't used to it. It has something to do with the air pressure."

"Wah?" Amber asked, looking surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, it storms there a lot," I explained, rubbing myself in an attempt to get warm. "I'm actually used to this sensation."

"Well, soon we'll be able to relax, because my house is right there," Sarah laughed, pointing out the window to a rather large blue house in the middle of an old-fashioned neighborhood. When the school bus pulled up into the gravel driveway and the doors opened, Sarah exclaimed excitedly, "welcome to my humble abode!"

"Humble, indeed!" Amber muttered, rolling her eyes as I looked around with interest. "Ugh... I'm gonna get soaked..."

I felt a little sorry for her since I could ser what she was talking about. Oddly... almost immediately, something inside my head twitched: it startled me so badly that I jumped and touched my ears.

Just like that, everyone on the bus looked out the window with gasps of surprise.

My eyes slowly widened when I joined them. In an instant, the rain had literally come to a halt... but that had only revealed how strange the sky looked. Bizarrely, my shivers subsided a little when I realized that the vast plane above had turned a sickly grey-green.

For some reason, that sky strongly reminded me of the times back in Oklahoma whenever we'd had a Tornado Watch.

It couldn't have been the same type of sky, though... after all, this was California.

Tornadoes were nonexistent.

I had been moved here because of that.

After Sarah and Amber disembarked from the bus, I shakily followed suit before glancing at the sky once again.

"Follow me!" Sarah called, waving us over. "Let's get in before the rain comes back!"

I hastily did as I was told.

Sarah beamed and waved for us to follow her. Once we were inside, she instructed us to put our shoes by the door and offered to put our clothes in the dryer. Amber and I both accepted, and while we waited, we were given some of her things to wear.

Then she hurried outside to feed her animals.

However, it was just after Sarah brought in the heater that she took note of my features.

When she smiled, a bolt of lightning flashed across the windows, illuminating her face in an almost eerie manner.

The lights in her bedroom flickered when I cocked an eyebrow.

"I just had a great idea!" the blonde exclaimed, looking at Amber with delighted eyes. "Why don't we give Sally a make-over while we wait?"

"A make-over? Amber asked, looking thoroughly confused. "What happened to taking care of the raccoon?"

"Well," Sarah sighed, shrugging, "with this freaky lightning storm going on, I doubt I'd be comfortable going outside right now, and since the animals already have food right now..."

The redhead pondered it.

"Well, it's actually not a bad idea," Amber murmured, almost instantly turning into a fashion-diva; I couldn't really do anything aside from sit there next to the heater, shivering, when she walked over and circled around me like a vulture. After a moment, she leaned close and examined my eyebrows. "Hey... Sally, have you ever watched Sesame Street?"

"Uh, yeah?" I stated, feeling confused for a moment. "When I was little, I was hooked on it, actually."

"Hm... okay," Amber stated, nodding in a fairly casual manner before she poked my left brow. "So that means you know what Bert's eyebrows looked like, right?"

I instantly blinked and my mouth dropped open when I made the connection.

"Rude!" I snapped, self-consciously touching my eyebrows. "They're not THAT thick!"

"Still, I've got a lot of work ahead of me," the redhead sighed, clucking her tongue. "Those eyebrows of yours have ALWAYS bothered me, ever since you moved into the Home. Now... about your hair... you don't dye it or use extensions, right?"

"Uh, no," I deadpanned, feeling a little irritated when she grabbed a curly lock of hair and held it out, carefully tugging on it. "Unfortunately, this is the natural color."

"Interesting..." Amber muttered, holding the waist-length curls out with intrigued eyes. "So, you really let your hair grow until it was down to your waist? Even though it's curly like this?"

"I guess?" I sighed, not really getting where this was going. "What's your point?"

"Oh, nothing," the redhead giggled, shaking her head before she snapped her fingers. "Sarah! Go get some tweezers, your hair straightener, and that make-up kit I got you for your birthday last year!"

"Oh, I'm SO on it!" the blonde exclaimed, running from the room. "Hold on for just a sec, okay?"

"Soooo... what are you doing?" I asked, feeling a little uneasy. "I don't think make-up would do me much good, especially since I have a weird complexion."

"Oh, shush," Amber muttered, walking across the room and grabbing a brush; after it was in her hands, she stalked back over and started dragging it through my wild, curly hair. "If you want my honest opinion, I think you've got enough raw material to put most of the girls at our school to shame."

"Tch, now you're just flat-out lying," I snorted, not believing my ears. "I look a boy with long hair."

"Well, blame those eyebrows of yours," Amber retorted, rolling her eyes and holding out her hand; seconds later, Sarah burst back into the room with everything in her arms, and without prompting, she put the straightener in her hand. "The reason I'm saying this is because you never wear make-up. You've got a great complexion, honey, and even though it's curly... your hair is ridiculously long. It's kind of annoying that you never do anything with it."

"Well, it's not like I particularly wanted long hair... I just never cut it since I'm lazy," I mumbled, shrugging when Sarah gasped in horror. "What?! I'm serious!"

"Well, let me just say this, Sally: if you ever cut your hair," Amber happily cooed, then started speaking in an alarmingly threatening voice. "I will _skin_ you."

I instantly shivered, but this time it had nothing to do with the cold.

Feeling awkward, I hunched my shoulders.

"Okay," I peeped, not feeling brave enough to defy her. "I promise I won't cut my hair."

"That's a good girl!" Amber sighed, testing to see how hot the straightener was before clamping it down on my damp, waist-length tresses. "Now, after I straighten these beautiful curls, I'm gonna trim those unsightly eyebrows and put some make-up on ya!"

Just like that, I remembered something painful.

I didn't want to have anything to do with the make-up... but I didn't want to alienate them, either.

"Hey," I droned, feeling extremely unenthusiastic. "I wasn't aware that this was going to turn into a Beauty Guru fest."

"Does it bother you?" Sarah asked, flinching when another bolt of lightning lit up the windows. "Ugh... lightning is so scary. We haven't had a storm like this since last year."

I felt kind of irritated when I realized that she hadn't given me a chance to respond.

"Oh, yeah, I remember that," Amber murmured; I could feel my head being pulled back as she ran the straightener and the brush through my curls. "That particular storm hit right after that sleazeball, Control Freak, tried to rob the video store I was working at... man, that was a crazy week."

"Tell me about it," Sarah muttered. "You really do have bad luck when it comes to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not counting your run-in with Control Freak and the stone monster, you've had some majorly close calls over the years."

"True," Amber sighed. "When he held up the video store, I thought I was gonna die. Didn't help that I had to walk home in a thunderstorm."

"That storm was a big one, too," Sarah confirmed, sitting down on her bed and flicking her television on; after grabbing a magazine and checking her cell phone, the girl started reading with the sound of a chick drama filling the air. "The lightning woke me up a few times, but it was nowhere near as bad as this!"

"Even so," Amber muttered, looking up when the lights flickered again, "I have to admit, I'm kind of surprised. The storm did kinda spring up out of nowhere, but I'm more confused by the fact that they closed school for the day than the fact that it's raining in Jump City. It's still only like eleven in the morning, you know?"

"Well, I guess we got lucky!" Sarah chuckled, flipping the page of her magazine with her legs waving in the air.

"The only lucky one here is Sally," Amber grumbled, fiddling with one of my curly blonde ringlets. "Seriously, girl... you're lucky. I'm actually kind of jealous of your hair since it doesn't have that annoying frizzy texture. These curls are sleek like silk."

"I'm Italian," I stated simply. "One of the main reasons I ignore my hair is _because_ it doesn't friz on me. It takes less work."

"Seriously?" Sarah giggled. "I know some girls who would kill to have hair like that."

"Especially once it's been straightened," Amber grunted, tugging at my head. "Nothing is gonna stop me now that I'm on a roll, so make yourself comfy."

As if to counter her words, the lights above us flashed and went out.

Similarly, the television flicked off and the sound of all the electrical appliances going out met my ears.

And it was in that moment, for the first time in who the hell knows how long, that warmth swept into my body.

Almost immediately, I knew something was wrong and stood up, ignoring how Amber stepped back. I slowly turned my head, looking out the window when I felt it... and instinctively, I bolted over to the glass and flicked the locks holding it closed. Gripping the sill, I pulled the window open and stepped back, eyes widening as a tense feeling filled my stomach.

This pressure... I recognized this kind of pressure.

It was unmistakable.

After experiencing it nearly seventy times and barely surviving what came next, there was no way I could forget this awful sensation of having my eardrums pop. But what I didn't understand was how it was possible.

It couldn't be... this was California! I had come here to get away from storms and rain in general!

But the sensation was still there.

And the realization made my blood run cold.

No matter how impossible it was, a tornado was coming.

I could feel it.

"The windows..." I whispered, slowly turning to look at them with a horrified expression. "Go open all the windows in the house! Right now! Hurry!"

"W-why?" Sarah asked, looking kind of confused. "Won't the rain... you know, get in?"

"Just do it!" I exclaimed, running out of her bedroom and down towards her front door; when I twisted the knob and tried to open it, I was shocked since it practically flew out of my grasp. I was actually jerked forward since a gale of wind had literally dragged me along with it. "Oh, my God! What the hell...? When did it get so windy?!"

I got my answer when something inside my head twitched again.

Slowly making my way into the middle of the street, I stared at the dark sky and peered up at it, not making sense of what I was seeing: it was windy, that much was sure... it was _really_ windy. But the weirdest part was simple: the sky was no longer frothing, and the greenish tint I'd seen earlier was gone. The sky was merely dark grey and stormy now. This wasn't a sky that a tornado would conjure.

It couldn't be.

It wasn't the same sky that I had lived under when everything had still been normal.

And yet... and yet... before my very eyes... the slowly moving clouds above ripped apart. I could feel my heart stop beating for nearly five seconds when a twister roared down out of nowhere, making my eyes and mind go completely blank. Then, I clutched my mouth and screamed at the top of my lungs in terror, since it started destroying houses in the city not even a hundred yards away from where I was currently standing.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screeched, running back inside the house and tearing up the stairs; flying back into Sarah's bedroom, I tore over to both girls and snatched their hands before attempting to drag them away. "BASEMENT! NOW!"

"W-what the heck?!" Sarah demanded, jerking her hand out of my grasp. "What's wrong with you?! That hurts!"

"What about the basement?!" Amber exclaimed, struggling to pull away as well and failing. "Sally! Chill out! Did a pipe burst or something?! What's gotten into you all of a sudden?!"

"SHUT UP AND GET UNDER GROUND! IT'S A TORNADO!" I wailed, flailing my arm at the window. "A FUCKING TWISTER JUST TOUCHED DOWN NOT EVEN HALF A MILE AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE, AND IT'S HEADED THIS WAY! COME ON!"

They stared at me, making my blood turn cold.

For a horrible moment in time, I honestly thought they wouldn't listen to me.

And that scared me.

"Y-yeah, right," Amber sighed, looking at Sarah uncomfortably. "This is California, Sally. Tornadoes don't happen here."

"Wanna bet your life on that?" I shrilly demanded, shaking violently with fright; when they stared at me in total shock in disbelief, I danced from foot to foot and grabbed my hair in outrage. "Fuck this! If you don't believe me, poke your head outside your window and look to the left! But for Christ's sake, HURRY! WE NEED TO GET UNDER GROUND!"

When they shared another glance, I half expected them to laugh... and if they'd have done that, I won't lie.

I would have left them sitting there and headed underground on my own.

However, to my immense relief, Sarah actually walked over to her sill and looked outside. She instantly jumped and let out a screech before jerking away from the window and falling against her desk. Within a split second, a truck roared past her window, scraping the side of her house and smashing the glass out of it before flipping somewhere out of sight.

Amber fell against the wall, freckled face turning bone white.

"Oh... my... God..." Sarah whimpered, shaking like a leaf as she stared at her busted window. "That thing nearly took my head off!

"What the hell _was_ that!" Amber squeaked, green eyes huge. "WAS THAT A _TRUCK_?!"

"SHUT UP AND MOVE!" I screeched, grabbing their hands once again. "BASEMENT! NOW!"

"Oh, God..." Sarah whispered, eyes going blank. "The animals..."

Jerking her hand out of my own, the blonde girl tore down the stairs and went outside through her back door.

Amber hastily followed her, but even as they did, I could hear the roar of the wind rising closer.

Shivering violently, I bolted back outside through the front and looked out, shielding my face from the wind. The twister was a monstrous, unstable thing: even as I watched, people ran out into the open and started pointing at it... others got into their cars, taking their children and families along. The stupidest of them pulled their phones out and started recording.

Me?

I merely stood there, staring at the same dangerous storm that had ruined my life. With my curly hair flying and the nightgown I'd been loaned billowing behind me like a flag, I slowly stepped forward, fighting against the rapidly increasing wind.

Houses were rapidly being ripped apart, piece by piece.

Telephone poles were sparking and exploding before being ripped into the air.

People were screaming, some as they ran, others as they hid behind nearby objects.

And all I could do was stand there, staring... unafraid.

Hoping it would take me.

Because as suicidal as it sounded... I honestly wanted it to.

I wanted the storm to take me the way it had taken everything else... to came after me like it had come after my family.

Once again, that odd blue haze fell across my eyes, and almost as though I were waiting to give the storm a hug... I stretched my hands out to it. I felt the iciness in my limbs retreat as something within me opened... and just like that, the rotating wind slowly died down. As I stood there in the middle of the street, hands extended before me towards the sky, the twister began to dissipate.

Soon, only the remaining swirls of dirt and debris were left.

Disappointment flooded me.

However, the moment the storm was gone, I not only felt unhappy... I felt physically weak.

So weak, in fact, that I actually collapsed... and went spiraling straight into that dark world for the third time.

Where the one known as Raven was already waiting for me.


	4. Chapter 3: Falling

**Chapter Three: Falling**

As I fell through the portal of fire, something strange occurred to me.

Before the terrible catastrophe back in Oklahoma, everyone around me used to tell me to be grateful for what I was given... and yet, even back then, I never listened to them. My mother would always scold me whenever I became unhappy or depressed because of the other girls who'd teased me over my plain appearance; then she would tell me to look at the lives of other people and see how good I had it. Even if I looked like a boy, at least I wasn't disfigured, or crippled, or even poor.

And yet, whenever she told me this, I'd simply rolled my eyes and thought to myself, 'yeah, right! She doesn't understand what I'm going through, so she can say whatever she wants.'

However, that was before my life was turned upside down.

Before I really lost everything I had.

My family, my dreams, even my belongings... all of them were taken away within the span of a only a few brief moments.

And as I fell, it occurred to me that a life can change with every breath that a person takes-and there's no guarantee that something bad won't happen. Most people who are befallen by tragedy don't wake up one morning and say, "Hey, I think I'm going to die today!" and go about their routine as usual.

They're completely unaware and happy until the calamity actually hits them.

And that's why their lives crumble around their ears.

Even now, when the cold is numbing me from the inside out... even now, when things slowly seem to be getting easier... even now, when the storm from all those months ago continues to recede from the minds everyone around me... there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I could go back in time and tell my mother that I love her, or hug my little sisters, or laugh with my father. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't wish I could just do everything all over again.

Mostly because on the day that terrible event took place, I was nothing but a grouch.

Like any typical teenage girl who has to deal with being a plain Jane living in a small, mediocre home, I was moody and irritable all the time.

And like always, I'd snapped at almost everyone and made it hard for them, even though that week was special: our father had been a marine, and he'd just come home for the week... so it was a time that we were all supposed to be having fun. And I had been a grouch, simply because I didn't want to listen to anyone. In retrospect, I'd always believed that I would be able to make it up to my family later on... I never could have fathomed that there wouldn't have been a later on for us.

As I fell, scrawny hands stretched out towards the fading surface, I remembered the last things I said to my family before the storm hit us.

And it really, really hurt.

_"Sally! Come down here, sweetie!" my mother called excitedly from below. "I have some great news!"_

_"Yeah, right... probably just want me to take out the trash again," I'd snorted sarcastically, rolling my eyes and turning my music up even further. My thirteen and fourteen-year-old sisters, Gabrielle and Isabelle, looked up at me from under their dyed pink and purple bangs with identical scowls when I continued reading my book. The three of us shared a room since our house was so small, but trust me when I say that it's not fun having roommates who're always trying to get you into trouble._

_"Sally, Mom needs you," Gabby snapped, shaking her head and puffing her cheeks out. "Stop ignoring her."_

_"Are you my keeper?" I shouted over the throbbing speakers, shooting her a glare from above my book. "Bite me! You both may be bigger than me, but you're still younger! And anyway, I don't take orders from anime-girl wannabes who dye their hair and try to look like Sailor Moon."_

_"It's not Sailor Moon!" Bella protested, puffing out her cheeks like Gabby. "Its Angel Beats! Yui and Yuri are awesome, you meanie!"_

_"Sally Beth Rossetti, hurry up!" my mom called again, this time in a singsong voice. "Oh, and bring Bella and Gabby with you, too! This is for the whole family!"_

_"Oh, yay!" Isabelle gasped, flinging her hands into the air and scrambling out of bed with Gabriella._

_"Jesus Christ," I snapped, flinging my book down on the ground and crawling out of bed. Shaking my curly bangs out of my eyes, I sighed and padded down the carpeted stairs to the kitchen where our mother was waiting for me. However, I cocked an eyebrow when she handed me a big bunch of yellow flowers, wondering what prank she was trying to pull on me._

_"All right, is everyone here?" she asked cheerfully, bending down to look at us._

_"Duh," I retorted, tilting my head with a scowl. "The three stooges are at your service, so speak up!"_

_"Oh, you be nice and stop frowning all the time," my mom sighed, shaking her head. "I have a surprise for all of you, so keep the squeals on the down-low, 'kay? Alright... Darling-come on in!"_

_"Huh?" I asked, looking toward the doorway and freezing when a tall, burly man wearing a camouflage uniform walked into the room. My eyes snapped open wide and a jolt seared through me... the shock was so great that I unwillingly broke into a huge grin and tears filled my enormous eyes. "D-Daddy?! Daddy! Ohmigod!"_

_"How are my little ladies doing, eh?" my father laughed, spreading his arms wide and kneeling down when my sisters let out incoherent shrieks of joy and mauled him with their hysterical bear hugs of love. "Ha! You both have gone for new looks since I left! And my word, you've gotten so tall!"_

_"Yeah, they're growing, and they're into cosplay now," I snorted, walking over to him and hugging his middle fiercely. "I... um, I missed you, Dad... so much. You never call or write anymore, so it's been pretty lonely. Where have you been all this time?"_

_"Well, that's a long story," he laughed, ruffling my curly hair; I had always loved my father's eyes... even though I didn't have them. I mean, his eyes were such a light shade of grey that they looked almost like glittering clouds. "I'm happy to say that I'll be able to stay for a week this time. Things have calmed down overseas."_

_"Where?" I asked, cocking my head to the side with a frown._

_"Iraq," he sighed, shaking his head when his eyes clouded over with a hazy, unfamiliar expression; then it was gone, and he was smiling at us again. "So, what's for dinner?"_

_"Oh, you..." my mother sighed, slowly stepping forward and embracing him. "I missed you so much, Wade..."_

_"I missed you too, Selene," he rumbled, threading his hands through my mother's curly black hair. "My love."_

_"Ew! Get a room!" I squalled, covering my eyes. "Mooooom! Gross!"_

_"Oh, hush!" the woman laughed, pulling away and ushering us into the living room. "Go be good until I can finish making dinner!"_

_Almost reluctantly, I sulked back upstairs and turned my speakers on... but it was then that the flash caught my eye._

_It had been a small one, but what I'd seen had definitely been a bolt of lightning. Feeling confused, I'd parted the curtain and peered outside, but all I'd really seen was a typical humid afternoon._

_There were indeed a few puffy clouds here and there, and off in the distance, a storm was definitely brewing up... but it was typical for Oklahoma, so I'd thought nothing of it and went back to reading with my music on blast. I hadn't noticed the odd wind patterns shifting the windmill outside our house in different directions at all._

_By the time Mom finished making dinner, I was starving... not for food, but for my father's attention._

_Then again, I hadn't really had anything particularly interesting to say since most of my recent experiences had been quite negative._

_"Everyone, supper is ready!" Mom called, turning the stove off and setting the plates on the table before unhooking her apron; after hanging it on the rack, the woman waited until everyone shuffled into the room. "I hope you like it! It's my special lasagna!"_

_"Ooh! Lasagna!" Bella cried, running over to the pan; Gabby merely folded her arms and smiled, trying to look all grown up. "Aw, don't be so antisocial, Gabby! Come on, look at it! It's reaaally yuuummmyyyy looking!"_

_"No, why should I?" the little girl sniffed, making me roll my eyes. "We get to eat it soon!"_

_"But what about taking in the smell?" Bella coaxed, purposely taking a big whiff. "You know you want to, Gabby!"_

_"Well, okay," the girl finally mumbled, hesitantly slouching over and staring at Heaven in a Pan with large, glittering eyes. "I guess I... will."_

_"You're drooling," I droned, rolling my eyes again as I sat down at the table. "Come on, let's sit down! The quicker we do it, the faster we can eat!"_

_However, I could feel Dad staring at me, so I poured myself a glass of water and merely sipped on it: for some reason or another, there was a very heavy atmosphere hanging above the dining table... almost as though a storm cloud were getting ready to burst and rain down on us. After the food was served, only the scrapes of forks and knives against the porcelain china filled the silence of the room... but then, Dad spoke._

_"So... what's going on, kids?" our father asked, setting down his fork and looking at us brightly. "How's your schoolwork coming along?"_

_"Alwight," Gabby cheerfully exclaimed, looking at him brightly._

_"Gweat!" Bella added, nodding gleefully with enthusiasm._

_"Don't talk with your mouth full!" Mom gently scolded, gently waving her fork. "Remember your manners, girls!"_

_"Sorry, Mama," my sisters simultaneously groaned after swallowing, giving little apologetic shrugs._

_"What about you, Sallia?" Dad inquired, looking at me. "How are your studies going?"_

_"They're okay," I quietly admitted, eyes becoming a little reserved. "I'm not getting bad grades or anything, but sometimes the mean girls at school really tick me off. They say I look like a boy and they make fun of the way my hair looks."_

_"Really?" he asked, staring at me in dismay; Mom choked in surprise and flushed a little red. "Have you told a teacher about it?"_

_"That just makes it worse," I muttered, setting my fork down and tilting my head back. "I told the teacher once, about three months ago, and yeah... they did get in trouble. But after that, they just made things harder on me, and I kind of got... I don't know, bunted out of the social groups in class and at lunch? It's frustrating, but hey, I guess this is the price a girl's gotta pay if she refuses to be a whore."_

_My mother choked and my father's eyes widened almost instantly._

_"Watch your mouth!" Mom exclaimed, teal eyes wide. "Sallia! You know better than to use that kind of language in front of your sisters!"_

_I felt my irritation spike and glared at her through my curls._

_"Yeah, I do, but hiding the truth from them won't change reality," I retorted, folding my arms. "I mean, part of the reason I'm being made fun of is because you told me that I wasn't allowed to wear make-up! I'm in Junior High now, Mom! Every other girl my own age is already wearing it, and because of that, I stand out way more than I should. And because of it, I get picked on. A lot."_

_"But darling, I've been over this with you before: you don't NEED make-up!" the woman sighed, looking a little dismayed. "You're beautiful the way you are! Those girls, they're just jealous!"_

_"Hah!" I snorted, instantly letting out a laugh before I could stop myself. "Jealous? Of Sally Beth? The Girl with the Eyebrows? Mom, on my first day, my own teacher thought I was a guy. I was humiliated in front of everyone!"_

_"Darling, you know the answer," my mother sighed, mouth growing taught. "I forbid you to use make-up until you're eighteen."_

_"And like I said, that answer is why I'm having problems at school," I groused, sulking down into my chair; I fiddled with my fork for a moment before glancing at my uncomfortable father and sighing. "Sorry, Daddy... I think I'm gonna turn in for the night. I'm not feeling too hungry."_

_When I pushed my plate away and stood up, my mother's patience snapped._

_"Sallia Bethlehem Rossetti, don't you take one step away from this table!" she cried, standing up and slamming her hands down. "I'm trying my hardest to understand, Baby... but right now isn't the time."_

_That's exactly what set my own temper off._

_"Oh, isn't it?" I retorted, whirling around with clenched fists. "So, when WILL it be the time?! After I've already gone through the torment of being the only ugly girl in school? After it's all over and I have a lot of unhappy memories?! I told you about all of this multiple times six months ago, and you STILL haven't even bothered trying figure out if wearing cosmetics is appropriate for girls above the age of thirteen!"_

_"Because there's no need to!" the woman shouted. "It's NOT appropriate!"_

_"THEN WHY DOES EVERY GIRL IN SCHOOL USE IT?!" I shrieked, completely losing my cool. "I'D RATHER BE INAPPROPRIATE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE AND FIT IN THAN BE THE ONLY APPROPRIATE GIRL AND NOT HAVE A SINGLE FRIEND DURING MY MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS!"_

_"Don't you raise your voice at me!" the woman stated sharply. "I said no, and that's what it means! End of discussion!"_

_"As if!" I snapped, face turning red. "You really think it's the end of this discussion? You wanna see what those girls say to me every day?! I could definitely show you... oh, but wait, not only can I not have any makeup, I can't even have a cell phone. Oh, what a shame: it'd be so easy to CATCH them if I could record it somehow. We don't even have an audio tape-recorder here."_

_"The answer is NO!" my mother shouted, slamming her fists down on the table; during the exchange, my sisters had huddled down and my father didn't really seem to know how to handle what he was seeing. "NO! NO! NO! I will NOT have MY daughter walking around like those trashy, shallow girls you see all over the place these days! You're a proper young lady! Act like one, Sallia!"_

_I balled my fists, feeling so angry that tears filled my eyes._

_"I hate you," I spat, tearing out of the room before I could burst into tears. "I hate this family! I wish you would all just disappear!"_

_When I tore up to my room and slammed the door, I felt sick... I hadn't meant what I'd said._

_But I had been so angry... so horribly mad and upset that my mother wouldn't listen._

_She just never listened... even when I was being bullied, the only response I'd ever been given was to be grateful for what I had. Later that night, my sisters came into the room, both of them looking uncomfortable. I didn't look at them, but I knew they were looking at me: I hadn't had an outburst like that in a long time, and I knew they wanted to make me feel just a little bit better, but I was mad._

_I was mad, so I didn't care._

_"Sally?" Gabby called, crawling into my bed with her teddy bear. "Sally, are you still mad?"_

_"Yes," I muttered, ignoring the hand she set on my shoulder. "I really am. Mom never listens... it makes me sick and angry, and I hate it."_

_"She just... wants us to be good," Bella timidly proffered, sliding into my bed on the other side. "That's all... she tries, right? You don't really hate us, do you?"_

_I felt guilty when I heard the worry in her voice, but anger was my shield._

_"Yeah, I do," I muttered. "Leave me alone."_

_When my sisters started crying, I ignored it... and although I couldn't remember falling asleep, I somehow found myself waking up groggy as hell in what had only felt like a few minutes._

_When I finally managed to get my bearings, I realized that it was dark outside now... and yet, the entire house was shaking and the room was flashing as though someone were rapidly turning the lights on and off._

_My sisters were already awake and staring straight at the window of our bedroom with huge eyes, cowering on their beds with their blankets up to their chins. We had always been told to hide under the covers if we were ever scared of monsters in our closet... but this was different._

_When I glanced at the window, I saw bright bolts of lightning flying out of... a dust cloud?_

_I winced when I realized how badly my head was hurting... and that's when I heard the sirens._

_The blaring wail of a tornado warning, echoing from somewhere in the distance._

_Was it coming close to the house?!_

_Just as my eyes widened and I opened my mouth to scream for my mother, the window imploded from the pressure and the frilly pink curtains went flying across the room, straight into the wall. I let out shriek and covered my face as a roaring snarl, similar to a lion's roar, fillef the room. In an instant, my blanket went flying onto the floor and my sisters screeched. Horrified, I looked at the walls and froze: I could see the wood cracking and breaking away into splinters. The pink polka-dotted wallpaper that had lined my bedroom since I was a baby started shredding itself apart. The whole house was groaning as if alive with agony, and everything was shaking with a thundering roar that quickly drowned out the sound of my own terrified breathing._

_It was coming right at us._

_And there was nothing we could do._

_Finally, with a horrifying jolt that rocked me from the inside out, the ceiling exploded and everything in our bedroom began to fly._

_I looked up into the maw of roaring wind and debris as the air turned dark, eyes wild with fear as lightning flashed all over the place._

_Taking in a deep breath, I screamed at the top of my lungs._

_But it was silent: in the face of this monstrous force of nature, my terrified voice was no longer heard._

_The sound of the terrible wind had escalated to the point where everything had become almost silent to my senses... and it was then, when the wind began tearing our home to pieces, that my bed was lifted into the air._

_I flailed with a silent shriek when my body started to fly away. __I felt things cutting me all over, painful, razor sharp... it hurt. I could have sworn I heard my sisters screaming in terror as I was dragged into the sky, but I could no longer think straight._

_I was too shocked, too horrified, too confused, wondering if it was real, if it was really happening, if what I was seeing was a nightmare. But it wasn't... and even though it hadn't clicked that it was really happening yet, a terrifying experience ensued._

_I was thrown around in the air, unable to breathe from the pressure, ears popping, limbs twisting, eyes squeezed shut against the howling dirt and debris as deafening lightning bolts exploded around me._

_The sounds were so loud and the sensations so terrible that I felt the agony of the thunder cracking all the way down to the core of my stomach._

_It was in that moment that I had known my wish had come true._

_My family... my home... all of it was disappearing._

_Everything._

_Then I was falling, rapidly flipping down towards the ground like Dorothy's house once it had been chucked out of Kansas and clean into the land of Oz._

_And yet... I don't remember hitting the ground... just the falling... falling..._

Yes... falling.

Exactly like I was now.

Falling into darkness... or more accurately, fire.

The icy sensation left me like it had done the previous times when I finally landed on a familiar rocky slab. Above me were the nebulae of those distant galaxies, and all around me were dead trees. And yet, I didn't feel any relief upon landing here this time... maybe it was because I had seen, for the first time, what the cause of my family's undoing truly looked like. Sitting where I was, I drew my knees up to my chin... then, I realized my limbs weren't on fire.

"Eh?" I wondered, looking at my hands in confusion. "Weird...seeing my body burning was weird, too, but still... why am I not on fire this time around?"

"_Because I am preventing you from masking your identity this time," _a familiar voice retorted. "_I knew you would come again."_

Without warning, a dark gap ripped itself open directly in front of me and a blue-clad figure stepped out of it. I blinked when two familiar violet eyes stared down at me with no emotion whatsoever: those eyes were sharp, and alarmingly clear... there was no good or evil in them, nothing but profound resolve. I instantly felt safer... this was the weird dream again, the one with the odd cloaked people who all looked alike. Feeling disheveled, I stood up and held out my hand, letting out a sigh.

"Well, hi, I guess," I sighed, awkwardly tilting my head as I waited for her to take my hand. "Um... we meet again?"

The figure's eyelid twitched, but aside from a wary glance down at my hand, she made no move to take it.

_Awkward,_ I silently muttered, not really knowing how to react. _Okay... let's move on._

"Who are you?" the girl demanded, looking straight at me with somewhat hostile eye. "How do you keep getting in here?"

I instantly let out a sigh of relief, finally having something to work with.

"Well, I figure we might as well introduce ourselves first since I didn't really get around to it last time," I stated, giving her an equally emotionless stare. "I'm Sally Beth. And if you want my honest answer, I don't really know how I keep ending up here. It's actually kind of random... it just happens somehow."

"Is that so?" Raven demanded in a low tone, vein bulging out on her forehead. "It just... happens?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I confirmed, nodding a little before I looked around with uncomfortable eyes. "That kinda reminds me... where exactly is this place? It looks... sort of like something out of a science fiction movie. Oh, and where are all your sisters?"

Raven's face smoothed out in an instant and a barely visible brow lifted from within the shadows of her hood.

"Sisters?" she deadpanned, voice coming out in an almost tired-sounding croak. "I don't have sisters."

I blinked in total confusion.

"You're totally lying," I snorted, ignoring how she glared at me; I folded my arms and cocked my hip, giving her a half-lidded expression. "Okay, if those other girls aren't related to you, why the hell do you all look the same?!"

"Because those are my _emotions," _the girl retorted, sweeping forward with an ominous aura. "And this isn't just some little dream world."

"Huh?" I asked, feeling genuinely confused. "Then what is it?"

"MY MIND!" the Empath roared, blasting my hair back and making my curls stick out in every direction. "You're INSIDE my MIND!"

I merely stared at her, vaguely noting that her hood had come off: she was a really pretty girl, but her skin was way too pale.

Almost an ashy white.

"Your mind?" I wondered, looking around in disbelief. "Do you really expect me to believe that?!"

Almost immediately, I heard a ringing nose and suddenly my vision was practically obscured by a dark force: it engulfed me completely, making it hard to breathe. Then... I felt something tugging at my BRAIN... that same uncomfortable twitch I'd felt earlier. Images flashed across my eyes, so quick that I couldn't make them out.

However, after a moment, the power faded and let me go.

Raven was now looking at me with an expression of irritation and utter perplexity.

"Murakami high school...?" she droned, staring at me in a suspicious manner. "I knew something didn't feel right."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded, eyes widening in surprise. "How do you know the name of my school?!"

"I'll be seeing you soon," the girl hissed, ignoring my questions; painfully jabbing a long, thin finger against my chest, the cloaked girl leaned close to my face and glared so deeply that I shivered. "Don't even think about trying to get back in here again until I assess a few things. You'll be seeing me in person soon enough."

With that, she waved her arm... and I was suddenly staring at a pale blue sky through dazed, half-lidded eyes.

Slowly sitting up, I rubbed my head, wondering what exactly was going on with me.

However, when I looked around, I realized something and blinked in confusion: looking at my hands, I felt cold prickles sweep across my skin.

I flexed my fingers.

Heat.

My body... it felt warm... the same way it always had before the catastrophe. Shakily crawling to my feet, I stared at the destruction of the houses down the road and swallowed before hurrying down there. Without a doubt, there had been people inside those buildings. Already, the sound of sirens wailing were filling the air, and I pictured all the people who may or may not have died. I shivered violently, but then I closed my eyes, basking in the relief of the warmth inside me.

I was no longer shivering.

And even though the world around me had been devastated, in that moment, I really didn't care about the fates of those under the buildings.

As selfish as it was, I was simply happy to be warm again.


	5. Chapter 4: Aftermath

**Chapter Four: Aftermath**

After realizing that I hadn't followed them out back, Sarah ran outside and found me standing stock still in the center of the street, staring at my hands as though I'd never seen them before in my life. She looked rather startled, but after hurrying over and making sure I was okay, she pulled me upstairs to her bedroom.

It was to be expected, after all: we had already been ushered to stay inside until the police and firemen could gauge the damage done to the electrical wiring and gas lines down the street. Personally, I knew the electrical was done for a while: I had seen those poles go flying with my own two eyes. Regardless, Amber was still listening to the radio with a nervous expression.

The moment Sarah pulled me inside, however, she looked up at us.

"They said a few minutes ago that the storm is most likely completely over," the redhead stammered, looking as though she couldn't believe her ears. "Nobody was killed when that freak twister hit, but seventeen houses were destroyed and the power is out in certain parts of the city. As of right now, there isn't a cloud in sight! We'll be okay, I think!"

"Well, there goes all the food in our fridge," Sarah sighed, mournfully looking up at the ceiling. "My parents are gonna go nuts when they get home."

"Hey..." I stated, woodenly glancing at the glass shards glittering on the floor. "Um... what about your window...?"

"Huh?" Sarah asked, looking at it in surprise; then she winced and nodded. "Er, yeah, let's get the glass cleaned up and put some plastic across it or something... seriously, my parents are gonna freak."

When she left and came back with a broom and a dustpan, Amber and I helped her clean everything up.

Once the glass had been put inside a garbage bag, she left again and brought a roll of plastic with her. Skillfully and effortlessly, she spread it across the window and started taping it down; then she backed away and started vacuuming her floor. Not long after that, she sat down on her bed and looked at the dark lights with a mournful countenance.

"What now?" she asked, looking at us with watery eyes. "The animals are safe, but the power is out... and I..."

Before she could start crying, Amber leapt to her feet and flailed her arms, looking frantic.

"That's right!" the redhead exclaimed, green eyes abnormally bright. "We were gonna give Sally a make-over!"

"But... but the power is out!" Sarah sniffled, eyes watering even more. "W-we won't be able to use... the straightener... and p-plus, a tornado just hit us! We shouldn't... be having fun, right?"

"You're right," I murmured, not looking up. "I really don't want a make-over at the moment. Not after that."

"Well, if that's the case, we won't do a full touch up!" Amber retorted, lifting a finger with a grin. "For now, let's just focus on your eyebrows!"

So saying, the girl gripped my arm and forcefully shoved me down on the stool before hurrying over to the make-up kit on the desk. Sarah stopped sniffling once Amber clicked the tweezers together and zoned in on a spot above my left eye. In fact, when I twitched and let out a startled squeak of pain, she actually winced in sympathy and smiled a bit.

"Ow!" I snapped, flinching when the pain came again. "OW! What are you doing?!"

"Tweezing your eyebrows..." the redhead stated simply, pulling back a bit and examining them. "Once I'm done, they'll be easier for you to manage since they don't exactly grow back. Which is why... you need... to stop moving."

I didn't acknowledge that with a response and merely tried to zone out, since the tweezing really hurt.

I sat there for a long time, feeling twangs of pain that made my eyes sting and my nose feel runny.

During that time, the people milling around outside either returned to their homes or drove off. The repair vehicles were already driving down the streets, and people were helping to remove the debris. It was then that I realized how serious the situation was: that twister had come down out of nowhere, and it had only lasted about a minute... but...

Within that minute, seventeen houses were gone.

More than seventeen people had just lost their homes, and the entire city had lost power.

One twister, one minute, seventeen houses.

"Tornadoes..." I whispered, making Amber pause. "Tornadoes are terrifying..."

"Yeah, they really are," Amber agreed, nodding before she plucked my left eyebrow one more time. "Still... before I got my hands on you, so were your eyebrows! But now, they aren't nearly as terrifying. I know you don't want a make-over, but..."

Before I could so much as ask what she was planning, the girl turned and grabbed some sort of black stick from the make-up bag.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, frowning when she leaned forward and stared hard at my eyes. "Hey... seriously."

"Don't move, don't blink, and do as I say," Amber retorted; her tongue poked out sideways when she uncapped whatever she was holding and stirred something around. When she withdrew an odd-looking brush, however, I was half tempted to leave. "Now, this isn't eyeliner or anything, but it'll straighten your eyelashes and make them look thicker."

"Really?" I asked, staring at the brush suspiciously. "Thicker...?"

"Oh, hush, and just let me do this," the redhead sighed. "It'll only take two minutes, and since it's water proof, it'll fade naturally!"

With a sigh, I did as I was told and tried not to feel uncomfortable, but it was difficult.

Still, as I sat there thinking about things I wanted to forget... the numbing sensation I had grown accustomed to slowly began to creep back inside my limbs, starting with my chest and spreading outwards. I'd noticed it coming back a long while ago, but until that point, it hadn't actually hit the numbing phase.

By the time she was done scraping the brush against my eyelashes, I was shivering again.

And I felt sad, since it had been nice to experience the warmth I'd thought I'd lost.

"Wow!" Amber squealed, jumping up and flying over to Sarah. "Look! Look! Sarah, look! Isn't she so much prettier now?!"

When the blonde glanced up from her magazine, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow," she murmured, instantly sitting up and examining me with a confused expression. "Sally, you... you look totally cute!"

"Not that you weren't cute before," Amber hastily added, noticing how I scowled, "but now that your eyebrows have been trimmed..."

Before she could finish, I stood up.

"Please don't lie to me," I stated coldly, looking straight at both of them with a tight jaw. "I know what I look like. I've had this face my whole life, so there's no need for you to flatter me like that. Even with my eyebrows a bit thinner and my eyes coated in whatever you just did... I'll never be as pretty as either of you. And I know that."

"What?" Sarah scoffed, looking at me in confusion. "Are you blind or something?"

When they stared at me, waiting for a response, I evenly met their gazes.

I knew what they were doing.

And it wasn't necessary.

Because if there was one thing I've never been, and probably will never be... it's _pretty_.

My eyes are way too big AND bizarrely slanted, my nose is almost absurdly large and has an unflattering upturned shape, and my chin is almost comically pointy. Not even mentioning my lips... possibly the part of my face I hate the most. They're fat like Kylie Jenner's, which is a look that most girls can and _do_ rock with flying colors... but _my_ face is too thin and angular to make any of my features look even relatively decent. Forget pretty, I'm borderline ugly as fuck.

If you throw in my freakish pigmentation and small height, you'd have an image of what I know my face looks like.

I could pass off as the first female Oompa Loompa in existence.

"No... but still, thanks for trying to give me self-confidence," I murmured, shrugging a bit. "Thanks for all the girl time, but since the sky has cleared up now... I think I'm gonna head home now."

"No way!" Amber exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. "There are downed power lines all over the place, and plus, the Home is like ten miles away from here! When I called her, Miss Figgins said she was going to come get us around two. Just wait!"

To put it simply, I didn't want to.

"Um, well... if I'm not mistaken, the water's still running," Sarah hesitantly proffered, giving me an uncomfortable expression. "Why don't you take a hot shower or something? I always do whenever I feel stressed over something."

I stared at her, not really knowing how to feel.

After a moment, though, I gave up and asked where the bathroom was: once she led me to it and handed me a towel, I closed the door and immediately felt grateful that there was a small window since the whole room was dark. Stepping into the stall, I flipped the water on and hugged myself, feeling miserable since I had once again become cold from the inside out.

Once the water was at its hottest, I hopped in, not even feeling the scalding sensations that turned my skin bright red.

I didn't touch any of the soap or shampoo, merely stood there under the water, staring at the dark ceiling with a hollow feeling in my stomach. This was wrong. I hadn't felt this way since the disaster... this sinking depression, this longing for how things used to be, this pain that wasn't sharp nor concentrated, but still so vibrant. The pain that was more of an ache that never seemed to fade.

Was it possible that the sight of the twister had awakened it?

I didn't know... but like always, the sadness became irritation, and I grumpily turned the shower off.

Once I'd finished drying myself, I put on my clothes and went over to the bathroom mirror, looking around for a brush. After pulling out some of the fine blonde hair caught between the brush bristles, I hastily ran it through my own blonde hair. After all of my curly ringlets had been gently brushed, I shook them out and examined my reflection in the bathroom mirror.

And it was in that moment that I noticed the changes in my appearance.

It wasn't extravagant, really, and I still looked abnormally boyish... but Amber was right.

Now that my eyebrows had been trimmed, I actually looked... kind of pretty. Well, prettier than I'd been before, at the very least.

Still... I hadn't looked into a mirror for a long time... and I had almost forgotten why until that moment: I looked almost eerily like my mother, aside from my olive complexion and my hair color. I shivered, since it made me remember something my Mom had once said.

_"Sallia, listen... I know you're upset because of my decision, but you really don't need cosmetics to make yourself beautiful..." _she'd whispered; I had been lying in my room, crying since all of the other girls had been teasing me at school, when she'd come in and sat down on my bed._ "You have things that they don't."_

_"What could I possibly have?!" _I'd demanded. "_I'm not nearly as pretty as them, Mom!"_

_"That's only because they use cosmetics on themselves,"_ my mother had sighed, "_Sallia, you're pretty even without it."_

_"What part of me could be considered pretty?!" _I'd snapped, sniffling and feeling miserable with myself._ "Tell me!"_

For a long moment, my mother hadn't responded.

And truth be told, back then, her momentary silence had almost crushed me... but when she'd spoken, something inside me changed.

_"I didn't want to say this, because I wanted you to grow into a humble and gentle girl, but I guess it can't be helped,"_ my mom had sighed, gently petting my head. "_Sally, it's your eyes. Your eyes are your greatest treasures, my darling... they draw the attention of the people around you, whether they want to be drawn or not. You have the eyes of a true Rossetti._"

_"My... eyes?"_ I'd asked, feeling confused._"How is that supposed to make me happy?! My eyes may be nice, but what good is it if the rest of my face looks ugly?!"_

"_That's just it, Baby... it's not,_" my mom had stated firmly, then tapped me and forced me to look at her. "_Take a good look at me, Sally... do I look ugly to you?_"

I'd blinked and stared at her in confusion: back then, my mother had been in her late thirties, but regardless of that fact... EVERYONE in my school had known who she was. And as a result, they had heard of me, too: people had actually known my name simply because I'd had an extremely beautiful mother.

She genuinely could have been a model.

Her curls had been glossy and sleek, her cheekbones high, her face had been angular, and her eyes... well, in _my _memory, they had been like something clean out of a fairy tale.

Those eyes had been one of the few true things I'd inherited from her. My mother had worn only the barest minimum of make-up, and it was only for church on Sunday... and yet, her lashes had been so full and dark that they'd made those extremely light aquamarine eyes look exotic and totally drop-dead gorgeous.

I had always been jealous of my mother's eyelashes... mostly because they were dark.

Mine were actually the same color as my hair, an unpleasant testimony to me being a natural blonde.

"_Of course not,_" I'd retorted, not really understanding why she'd asked me such a stupid question. "_Why would you ask that?_"

"_Because right now, you look almost exactly the same way I did when I was your age,_" my mother had soothed, making me do a double take and stare at her. "_You'll understand when you get older, darling... but take my word for it: your eyes are undoubtedly your most attractive feature. When you're happy, they seem to sparkle. So please, be happy... beauty comes with age._"

As I stood there, remembering that conversation, a painful sensation filled my stomach and I felt somewhat ill.

Finally, I looked away from the mirror with a sigh, shaking my head as I left the bathroom and headed back to Sarah's room.

Feeling disappointed, dismayed, and a bunch of other confusing things, I sat down on the floor next to the bed and listened to Sarah's chatter, which was louder than it should have been since there was no sound whatsoever inside the house. Amber was attempting to pay attention as well, but she was currently immersed in a book I quickly recognized.

It had been on the shelf in the Foster Home's living area the previous afternoon.

Many of the orphans didn't have their own belongings. That's why the Home supplied things like books and clothing for the children who had next to nothing.

It was a sad life, but a familiar one nonetheless.

For some reason, I felt tired... maybe it was because of everything that had happened, or maybe it was because of the cold within me.

Either way, I kind of fell asleep on Sarah and Amber, but this time... there were no weird dream lands with hooded figures.

I guess even in a dream... people can feel disappointed.


	6. Chapter 5: Suspicion

**Chapter Five: Suspicion**

Four hours later, I was irritated since Miss Figgins still hadn't shown up.

News crews and reporters had popped up all over the place, too... and horribly enough, Sarah and Amber practically dragged me along with them to get their fifteen minutes of fame.

Even so, I hung back when they explained the experience: I was shivering violently from the icy numbness within my body, and I was desperately missing the warmth that had engulfed me.

I craved that heat now.

Having a taste had only made the ice inside me worse.

It was only after about three minutes of wallowing in self pity, however, that I felt a tap on my arm. When I looked up, shakily rubbing my arms, I jumped since a microphone was shoved in my face.

"What the heck?" I muttered, leaning away from it; I blinked at the wire mesh before looking at the eager reporter standing in front of me. "C-can I help you?"

"Yes," he stated, nodding firmly before turning and nodding at another man holding a camera. "Your friends here have just described everything that happened to all three of you in vivid detail... it must have been a terrifying experience! You girls were all alone during this remarkable catastrophe... tell me, what was it like?"

I blinked before I slowly looked up at the clear blue sky: not long ago, it had been filled with clouds... storm clouds, no less.

And yet... somehow, it felt... wrong.

"It was beautiful," I stated without thinking, feeling lost in the plane of blue above me. "It was extremely beautiful... but at the same time, it was terrible. One second there were just... clouds. Soft, grey clouds stretching endlessly across the sky. It was almost like the twister ripped them apart when it came down."

"What? Were you outside when it touched down?" the reported asked, looking intrigued. "What possessed you to go outside when it was storming?"

"Um... well," Sarah instantly intervened, lifting a finger. "Actually, it's mostly because of Sally that we even knew what was happening... right before it hit us, her face kind of went pale and she told us to open the windows. Then she ran outside; two minutes later, she came back in screaming that a tornado had touched down."

"Really?!" the man asked, eyes widening in shock. "What happened then?"

"Well," Amber sighed, flapping a dismissive hand, "basically, we didn't believe her. That is, until a truck went flying past Sarah's bedroom window and busted the glass."

"You said she told you to open the windows," the man suddenly noted, making me stiffen a little in dismay. "Why would she say something like that? Most people here in Jump City wouldn't know what to do in this type of situation since twisters are an extraordinarily rare occurrence. Especially in this part of California."

"Oh, Sally's not from California," Amber stated with a blink. "She's from Oklahoma."

"What part of Oklahoma, may I ask?" the reporter asked, looking at me in a hungry way that made my stomach twist in irritation. "What was it like there? Were you familiar with this sort of weather? And why did you move to Jump City?"

It was the first time in almost a year that someone had asked me about my home.

I thought I had gotten past all this after the storm... but apparently, reporters were the same no matter where you went: using other people's pain as a way to make profit.

Ten minutes of fame was NOT worth it.

After a year, nobody had even remembered who I was, let alone the names of all the people who'd died.

"If I had to describe my hometown, I'd say it was like any other place out in the country," I stated quietly, giving him an extremely sullen glare. "Fields, gas stations, and farmers."

"What was the name of your hometown?" the reporter demanded, eagerly leaning forward and practically shoving the mic into my jaw. "Also, would you mind explaining your reasons for moving to Jump City?"

For a long moment... I felt angry.

So angry, in fact, that I was half tempted to smack the microphone out of my face. When I slowly lifted a hand and pushed it away, the sky above began to fill with clouds. They seemed to be forming at an oddly rapid rate, but nobody really noticed it, not even me.

Eventually, I calmed down enough to look the reporter in the eyes, giving him the coldest expression I could muster. Which wasn't hard, since my nerves had practically become the embodiment of ice itself.

"Moore, Oklahoma," I stated softly, looking away at the sky as the wind slid through my long hair. "May 20th to March 5th, 2013... that's all I have to say on the subject."

"Moore, Oklahoma?!" Amber gasped, eyes widening in realization. "Oh, my God... Sally, is that how..."

"Yes," I curtly interrupted, giving her a sharp expression. "It is. So don't ever bring it up again. I'm gonna head back to the House now, so... see ya there. Oh, and Sarah? I'll return this nightgown once the power is back on. My clothes are still wet from the rain."

"It's cool!" the blonde called, looking worried. "Just be careful, okay?"

I gave her a wave to acknowledge that I'd heard her; then I glared at the reporter before stalking off, curls bouncing in half-straightened waves.

Truth be told, I was actually relieved to have gotten away from them. I didn't feel comfortable staying in another person's home for an extended period of time.

Still, in the end, I somehow managed to wander into the Foster House; out of mutual habit, I wouldn't ever allow myself to call it a foster 'home' since I could never be sure if I would stay there long enough for it to feel like one. I've never really had a stable living environment: the longest I've ever lived with someone is a meager total of three months.

Not counting two botched adoptions.

However, when I saw the familiar grandmotherly face of Miss Rosie, I gave her a little wave and unsuccessfully tried to look as though I was unruffled.

It took her a few minutes to notice me standing there, but when she did, she let out a gasp.

"Sallia!" she exclaimed, hastily getting to her feet. "Oh, good god! Are you all right?! It's all over the news... a tornado hit Jump City!"

"I'm back," I murmured nonchalantly, trying to speak as quietly as possible before heading back up to my room; the woman bolted for the stairs and tried to come up after me, but I decided to add a few more words. "I'm fine... really. I'm just a little shaken up, that's all. I need some time to be alone."

"Well, if you say so," the old woman murmured, nervously fiddling with her hands. "But you will tell me if you want to talk, right?"

I didn't respond to that particular question.

I shook my head and made my way down the hall towards my bedroom.

Nothing inside it had changed at all during the duration of my stay: I learned a while ago to avoid letting myself get attached to things since I usually end up leaving them behind.

When I lay down on the bed, I immediately covered my face with my arm and let out a despondent sigh. I didn't exactly know why, but I felt exhausted... even though I'd only seen the tornado touch down, I honestly felt as though I hadn't slept for days. Maybe it had to do with post traumatic shock or something.

The last time I'd seen a twister had been horrific enough.

Rolling over on my side, I curled up and snuggled into my pillow, planning to take a nap.

I wasn't expecting to sleep the whole day away, but I did... and the only reason I know that is because I woke up to the feeling of someone heavy sitting down on my bed.

I didn't open my eyes when I heard a familiar sigh... not even when a large, gentle hand slid through my curls.

"I swear, this chile... she be scarin' me senseless sometimes," Miss Figgins murmured, petting my head. "Sallia, you awake, darlin'?"

"I think?" I droned, finally opening my eyes and tiredly staring at the wall. "I'm still really sleepy, though."

"What was you _thinkin_?" the black woman demanded, setting a firm hand on my arm; when I turned to look at her, her full lips were pulled taught. "I went to get you and Lil' Amber from your friend's house, but Lordy! I nearly had a heart attack when they told me you tried to walk all the way back here! Nobody knew where you was!"

I merely blinked at her and set my head back down, feeling oddly weak for some reason.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, barely able to keep my eyes open. "I didn't want... to be..."

I couldn't even finish the sentence: I was purely exhausted... and I think Miss Figgins could see that, because she merely sighed and stood up.

"Try to be a lil' less reckless, darlin'," the woman instructed, pattering over to the door. "We all care about ya, hear me? You may not be adopted, but yer damn well part of this lil' family."

"Thank you," I mumbled, trying to keep myself awake. "I'll try to talk about this when I can hold a conversation."

"Well, I ain't gonna bother ya," the woman chuckled, "but Lil' Amber is waiting right outside the door. Says _she_ wants to talk to you."

So saying, she left the room... and not even ten seconds later, a familiar redhead burst into my room with a huge grin and a hair straightener.

"All right," she panted, making me crack a grumpy, bloodshot teal eye. "I know you're sleepy, but it absolutely cannot wait! Tomorrow, everyone is going to know your name at school, and you NEED to make sure you look good! Turn over on your stomach: I'm going to finish straightening your hair for you."

"Do I have a say in this?" I demanded, already rolling over. "Seriously, I happen to like my curly hair."

"Then let it go back to normal naturally _after_ we're done," she slyly giggled, seeming to know something I didn't. "Either way, I'm straightening your hair."

"Whatever," I sighed, ignoring the tugs on my tresses and closing my eyes. "I'm going back to sleep... if you're that obsessed, fine, but be sure to close the door when you leave, all right?"

"Yeah, yeah," the redhead sighed, pixie-like face growing taught with concentration. "You can thank me tomorrow. Seriously, Sally, you're cuter than you think."

I didn't respond... I merely closed my eyes, ignored the sensation of Amber's persistence, and went back to sleep.

I don't know how long I slept for, but my dreams were troubled. I never remembered them, but I think I might have had a few nightmares because of how uncomfortable I felt in my gut when my alarm went off the next morning. Blinking blearily, I sat up and looked outside to see cold sunlight streaming through my window.

I'll be honest: I was rather surprised to see an overcast sky.

We'd been getting some strange weather patterns lately... maybe that was why I'd been getting weird headaches.

I eventually shrugged it off and gut up, heading over to my dresser to grab my school uniform. After buttoning my shirt and zipping up my skirt, I slid my tie around my neck straightened it. Then I pulled my shoes and stockings on before tugging my blazer out of the closet. Students weren't required to wear the blazers because of how warm Jump City was, but I had a reason to since I was almost always cold. Regardless, people were so used to my little quirks that it wasn't a big deal.

When I went downstairs, however, I got a few strange looks from the old ladies sitting at the counter.

It wasn't until I sat down at the kitchen table with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders that I realized _everyone_ was staring at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I demanded, staring right back at them with half-lidded eyes. "Something wrong?"

None of the other orphans answered and merely went back to eating their breakfast.

However, when Miss Figgins walked into the kitchen and headed over to the sink, she actually halted and stared right at me with raised eyebrows.

"Chile, did you straighten your hair?" she exclaimed, turning and walking over with an expression of mild surprise. "It looks mighty fine!"

"Huh?" I asked, blinking in confusion. "No, I didn't. Why?"

Personally, I didn't even remember Amber coming to my room, which is why I was extremely alarmed to realize that my curls had been replaced with soft, straight locks that literally cascaded down below my butt and ended right above my knee joints. I instantly felt a shock go through me: there was no way my hair was this long.

Seriously.

It had to be a dream or something... but it wasn't, since pinching myself actually hurt quite a bit.

"You got a lotta hair," Miss Figgins chuckled, making me feel confused. "Very pretty, though. I like this new look."

"My poor curls..." I whined, letting the shiny sleek hair slide through my fingers. "They're all gone..."

Feeling depressed, I ate my cereal with a little less pep.

Not that I'd had much to begin with, but still.

Once I was done with breakfast, however, I felt another strange sensation twitch inside my head.

And it made me feel nauseous.

Almost instantly, I stood up, ran out of the kitche, and went skidding down the hall for the bathroom, wondering if I was gonna puke. After I was inside, I slammed the door shut and locked it, breathing hard as my heart hammered against my chest. I was beginning to feel weird... almost like icy fire was flowing through my veins instead of blood. I closed my eyes with a small, shaking moan, panting heavily as I fell against the door. I blinked hazily, trying to understand what was wrong with me.

Then the strange sensation faded and I was once again feeling the chilling numbness I had grown accustomed to. That, and a particularly nasty headache.

I walked over to the sink on wobbly legs.

"Sally?" a little boy's muffled voice suddenly called with a knock on the bathroom door. "You okay in there?"

"Yes!" I called back. "I'm fine!"

"Well, could you hurry up, then?" he whined. "I need to go potty!"

Without a word, I turned away from the sink and opened the door before walking past the child and making my way to my bedroom. When the bus pulled up to the foster home and the doors opened, I grabbed my bag, ran outside with Amber and a few other children, and we all climbed in. Sarah instantly waved at us before pausing and staring at my head with intensely bright eyes. When I was forced to sit between them, again, I felt highly uncomfortable since the two girls merely stared at me.

"Hi, who are you? Cause I _think_ your name is Beautiful!" Sarah finally whispered, reverently petting my head. "Sally, god damn... your hair is totally gorgeous! Like, model-gorgeous! No joke! Amber, is this your handiwork?!"

"Yep!" the redhead smugly explained. "Isn't it awesome?"

"Yeah, I never would have guessed her hair was so long," Sarah murmured, looking at my tresses as though she'd forgotten they were attached to my head. "Not only that, those reddish-blonde highlights stand out way more now... I've always thought her hair-color was pretty, but her curls kinda hid the highlights."

"Yeah, yeah, cornflower hair is all the rage," I grumbled, shivering and rubbing my arms. "Can we not talk about my appearance, please?"

I was seriously embarrassed and I also extremely worried, but at this point, there was nothing I could do.

"But why? You look great!"Sarah excitedly gushed, eyes lighting up. "Seriously! You were pretty cute to begin with, but now you'll _definitely_ be turning heads."

"Um, thanks...?" I replied a little uncertainly. "I'm not interested in dating people though."

True story.

I simply didn't find guys all that attractive.

When we made it to school and got off the bus, my hair lifted off my shoulders in an unfamiliar way... and it made me _extremely_ uncomfortable. I approached the doors with my books held close to my chest, feeling awkward.

Sarah and Amber walked on either side of me as we strode down the halls.

"Hi, Sarah! Hey, Amber!" Chester Riley—a blue-eyed boy with frizzy brown hair and braces—greeted the two girls on either side of me, grinning awkwardly before he glanced at me in confusion. "Oh, and hi... Samantha."

I quirked an eyebrow when he waved and continued on his way: he had never even looked at me before, let alone greeted me.

"See?" Amber said, beaming at me after the boy had hurried out of sight. "Chester smiled at you!"

"He called me Samantha," I pointed out with a frown. "That's not my name."

"Has he ever willingly spoken to you before?" Sarah quipped, raising an eyebrow with a smirk that caused Amber to giggle. "Or even attempted to call you something other than 'Curly'?"

"Uh... I guess not." I admitted, turning red in the face. "Still..."

"See?" Amber interrupted, snapping her fingers like a fashionable diva on a roll. "Progress! We're making progress! Yay!"

I looked at the ground with a sigh.

Personally, I didn't really care all that much about fashion.

Good looks and pretty clothes didn't matter to me anymore... ever since my mother had passed away, I'd felt that touching cosmetics of any variety would have been like betraying her.

Plus, let's face it: I hadn't cared about anything after I'd moved.

Even myself.

"What up, Sarah?" a black boy named Jawan inquired, smiling at my friend. "Saw you girls on the news yesterday."

"Yeah, that was a scream! That tornado was so close to my house!" Sarah exclaimed, tossing a stray lock of platinum blonde hair out of her eyes. "Luckily, it didn't hit us... and the animals at home are healing up pretty well, including the raccoon who got hit by a car last week. All in all, I'm doing okay, Jawan."

"I'm fine, too," Amber stated smoothly. "Sally, you've met Jawan, haven't you?"

I shrugged, feeling awkward.

"Hi," I drawled, giving a small wave.

"Hey, Sandra," he stated, grinning at Sarah like a goofy idiot before he turned and headed off into the crowd with a wave. "I'll see you girls later in English."

He hadn't even glanced at me.

I cocked an eyebrow after he'd left and stared at Amber with annoyance written all over my face.

"Sandra...?" I deadpanned, giving her a flat stare. "Is there something you'd like to tell me, Amber?"

"He gave you a _definite_ look," the redhead stubbornly replied, folding her arms when Sarah burst into a fit of laughter. "So what if he isn't good at remembering names?"

"He remembers your name pretty well, and he seemed to remember Sarah's," I pointed out, sulking a little. "I'm thinking I'd prefer to go by Curly."

Sure, it was nice that I was getting some male attention for once, but this was not exactly what I'd imagined popularity to feel like.

That's when I spotted a boy named Joseph, who was a good friend of Jareth Malham. He would remember my name, if only because he was best buddies with the jerk who liked to pick on me in class.

"Hey, Curly, is that you?" he called once he spotted me; then he stopped and stared at me in confusion. "Whoa! Whoa, hold up, something's different about you!"

"New hairstyle, maybe?" Amber suggested. "Well?"

Sarah watched with amused sky-blue eyes as the boy stepped away and looked me up and down.

"Well, yeah, but that's not it," Joe finally replied, shaking his head; suddenly his eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers. "I know what it is! No wonder! You look like you've gained weight, Curly! Have you been trying to bulk up?"

I felt like I was gonna cry.

A boy had literally just said that I looked like I was getting fat.

No lie, I wanted to go back to being my curly, invisible self.

Sarah burst into hysterical laughter—yet again—and Amber reached out with one elegant hand and disdainfully smacked Joseph out of the way.

"Jerk!" the diva stated vehemently as we resumed walking. "What an ass."

"Uh-huh," I stated unhappily, hunching my shoulders and shrinking inward as the extreme humiliation spread across my face. "I guess I look fatter."

"Don't take it personally, Sally," Sarah broke in, giving me a huge smile. "Guys can be idiots sometimes."

It was in that moment that a fairly handsome redhead came around the corner and started making his way towards us.

"Not Alex, though," Sarah dreamily murmured, shaking her head with a sigh. "He's a total hottie..."

"Girlfriend, Alex is the exception," Amber said, rolling her eyes before pointing down the hall. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."

Alexander Whitman was indeed cruising down the hall, joking and talking with some friends of his.

When he saw Sarah, however, he broke into a grin and peeled off from his buds.

"Hey, blondie!" he greeted cheerfully, then glanced at me and Amber. "What's up, ladies? How's it going on this fine day?"

Amber stood back and held her hands out toward me like a fashion designer showing off her latest super model.

"So...?" she asked, looking excited. "Sooooo?"

"So what?" Alexander asked, staring blankly.

"So the hair! The eyebrows!" Amber finally exploded, clutching her own bright red hair and stomping her foot in frustration. "Doesn't Sally look great now that we've given her a make-over?! Doesn't she look fabulous?!"

Alexander grinned and waggled his eyebrows at Sarah before he smirked at me.

"Of course Curly looks great. She always does. That's why Jareth is always picking on her," he stated with an amused chuckle. "You ladies have fun."

That said, the boy walked off—leaving me behind with a weird feeling in my belly.

Jareth, acting like a schoolboy with a crush?

Yeah, right.

Amber stared at me when Sarah merely rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and shook her head, grinning.

"Okay... he's an idiot, too," the fashion queen stated after a moment. "I take back what I said."

"No, you were right the first time," Sarah smugly replied, poking her tongue out. "He's the exception."

Amber grumbled and separated from Sarah and myself when we made it to first period: after waving us off with a promise to meet up later, I sighed and entered the room—my usual reaction to Mr. Garret's calculus classroom. The place was stuffy, airless, and the windows looked out at nothing except the trees and our school flag.

Feeling disgruntled, I went to my seat and ignored how everyone was staring at me. Not long after that, they began chattering about the news and how we'd been on television yesterday.

I ignored the conversations as I sat down and tried to remember what we were supposed to have studied the night before—if anything at all.

I'd done my homework, but where was it...?

My bag?

A few minutes later, Mr. Garret walked in and class began. When I started working, I didn't think about anything... and as a result, I was done with the math problems way too soon.

After I finished, there was still another twenty minutes of class left. I was left sitting at my desk with nothing to do aside from feel bored. Shaking my head, I turned and looked out at the window, staring at the flag that was fluttering in the breeze.

The cold feeling inside me was ever present, making me want to shake myself to death.

_I wish I could figure out how I got rid of it the first time,_ I silently thought, staring at the flag and watching how it fluttered. _It was right after that twister hit... all of a sudden, it just... vanished._

Right after that, I off-handedly wished I could find another tornado just to see if the cold would disappear again... and the icy feeling inside me flared up somehow, almost seeming to expand. I straightened up and stared at the flag when it abruptly trembled and rapidly swiveled around.

I blinked, feeling confused.

I was either hallucinating, or the wind blowing outside had just done a complete reversal. However, as I sat there, a strange questioning feeling came over me: tilting my head and squinting at the flag, I wondered to myself if it could actually be possible. It was insane to consider... but...

Feeling confused, I stared at the flag again and thought about wanting to see another tornado.

Like the snap of a whip, the flag resumed it's initial position as the wind lifting it reversed itself again.

I felt a shock flood through me and abruptly narrowed my eyes, not believing what I was seeing: more thoughts and more focusing proved me wrong, though.

And by the time class was almost over, I was kind of having a panic attack: I didn't know what to think.

Had I somehow managed to make the wind outside do what I wanted? It was strange... so strange that I couldn't believe it.

It was a coincidence.

Nothing more.

Turning away from the window, I glanced at my teacher and tried to hide my discomfort, but there was still that nagging suspicion.

And now that it was awake, I had a feeling it wouldn't go back to sleep until I had found an answer, even if I tried to ignore it.

And that... that wasn't good.


	7. Chapter 6: Raven of the Titans

**Chapter Six: Raven of the Titans**

Someone was barking outside my window.

Groaning, I rolled over and dragged my pillow over my head to try to muffle the sound of the constant yips. Then there was laughter, and it was worse. All of the noise cut through my pillow like it wasn't even there. Finally, with an irritated grumble, I groggily pushed myself off my bed and stumbled towards the window.

I swore I was going to scream my head off: my alarm clock said it was still only five-thirty in the morning.

It was so early that I couldn't even keep my eyes open.

However, when I pushed back the curtains, I winced because the noise was even louder. Then I froze, because it was Amber outside my window: the redhead was bent over, dressed in a white T-shirt and a pair of red pajama shorts, with her hands on her knees. She was waiting for Jasper, one of the neighborhood dogs who frequently played with the children in the orphanage, to run up with the tie-dye Frisbee in his mouth. When Amber dove for the Frisbee, the dog pranced out of the way with his tail high in the air. It looked like they had been doing it for a while.

Suddenly, I didn't want to scream anymore, odd as it was: Amber was nice to almost everyone.

When I blinked and looked at the sky, I was mildly relieved to see that it was clear... then I shivered, since I was cold. Without thinking, I grabbed my blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders before unlatching the window and pushing it up. The air was cool against my face as I sat down and set my arms on the sill, burying my chin in them. After snuggling into my covers and getting comfortable, I closed my eyes: the fact that my fashion-loving acquaintance and a very ill-tempered dog were playing like puppy and child made me want to smirk.

Amber had always been a little different from the other orphans: she was a happy, jovial girl, full of life and hope. Her parents had died not long after she'd been born, so she'd practically been raised by the ladies who ran the Foster House. She had never allowed herself to be adopted, even when she was a toddler: to Amber, the foster house wasn't just a place to live... it was home.

And everyone in it was her family.

Speaking of orphans, though, I'd heard the previous afternoon that Amber and Sarah's friend, Dionne, was the girl who'd lived in the room I now occupied. She'd apparently been adopted not long before I'd arrived to Jump City. Sarah's story was a little odd, but it matched everything I'd already seen: ten years ago, the blonde had arrived to the foster house with no memory of who she was. The girl had somehow been buried under a rock slide out in the desert that lined the western part of Jump City's borders.

"C'mon, Jasper!" Amber protested, laughing like crazy. "I can't throw it if you don't let me have it."

She reached, Jasper danced away; she lunged, the dog dodged; she fell to the ground, blinking at the sky—and was very suddenly covered by several tons of huge black husky. When a large tongue started bathing Amber from her chin to her forehead, the redhead started spluttering and struggled to push him off with an extremely girlish shriek of horror.

"Oh, gross!" Amber squealed, covering her face and letting out a wail. "Ew, ew, ew! Get off, get off! Jasper, noooo! EEWWW!"

"Serves you right," I snorted, smiling when the dog didn't move: the animal's tail was wagging so hard that his entire butt wiggled. "Sort of."

Still hearing the high-pitched squeals laughter from outside, I quietly closed my window and face-planted on my mattress.

Then I started breathing deeply before rolling over on my back and attempting to go to sleep again.

Not too long after that, the barking stopped and everything went quiet, soothing my mind.

Then my door flew open.

"Sally! Sally Beth! Wake up!" someone trilled, voice a little muffled. "Come on, Curly Cue, time to get UP!"

All of a sudden, something extremely heavy landed on my stomach, followed by something heavy that crushed my boobs. With a violent jolt, my eyes snapped open wide and I frantically blinked in an attempt to figure out what was going on. My breathing was ragged and uneven, but after a few moments, whatever was on top of me squirmed and two familiar giggles met my ears.

"Well, it worked!" Sarah laughed, poking my forehead and grinning when I gave her a tired glare. "Her eyes are open now!"

Sarah and Amber... what were they doing in my room?

"Ugh... what the hell?" I mumbled, struggling to get up and completely failing at it. "Get off me, you fatties."

"Why, Sally! How rude!" Sarah gasped, daintily popping a piece of toast slathered with peanut butter into her mouth and giving a little coo of delight. "Darling, I may not be worried about calories like other girls, but that's _only_ because I practically weigh nothing at all! I'm a stick compared to Amber!"

"Hey! Are you calling me fat?!" the redhead squalled, punching her in the arm; when Sarah giggled, Amber let out a shriek. "You so ar_e_! I'm taking you shopping for something frilly as a punishment for that!"

"Why am I friends with you idiots?" I bluntly asked, feeling my irritation at being squashed already melting away. "Seriously."

"Because you're too lazy to make new ones and you already love us?" Amber airily suggested, patting my head before pausing. "Ew... you're covered in sweat."

I snorted and closed my eyes with a shiver.

"That's not the issue here!" I finally deadpanned. "The issue is that you girls are crushing me _and_ touching me at the same time! Get off!"

"But your boobs are softer than your pillows!" Sarah exclaimed, groping my chest and laughing when I squealed. "A girl has to relax now and then!"

"Any form of relaxation becomes _pointless_ if you have to suffocate someone in the process, so get the hell off me!" I wheezed, poking my tongue out in dismay before I started wriggling beneath their bodies. That's when a sharp pain seared through my ribs due to the way one of them moved: I instantly let out a gasp before squealing in agony. "Okay, ow! You're hurting me! Get off! Please!"

The command was quickly heeded this time, but I was simply thankful that I was able to breathe properly. Feeling a little off for some reason, I slowly lifted a small, numb hand and and touched my forehead: my long hair had been plastered to my cheeks and neck due to the cold sweat that had enveloped my entire body, but I was somewhat disappointed to notice that my hair still hadn't fully returned to normal. I was missing my ringlets. These much-too-long, wavy tresses were unfamiliar to me.

"Seriously, girlfriend, are you all right?" Amber asked, leaning forward and touching my forehead. "You're not burning up, but you look kinda... green."

"Probably from you two waking me up like that," I mumbled, giving up on going back to sleep; letting out a yawn, I slowly got out of bed and stretched before jogging for the bathroom. "Give me fifteen minutes of me-time, please... after that, I'll be ready to go."

"Yeah, yeah, go make yourself look pretty!" Amber laughed, sounding happy. "Just hurry and get ready before Miss Figgins wakes up!"

I gave a nod and trotted out of the room.

After hopping in the shower and washing myself clean, I grabbed my favorite floral-scented shampoo and conditioner and started washing my hair. Once I'd finished with the process, I wrung the water out as much as I could and dried myself off. Then I slipped on my school uniform and sighed, feeling a little dismayed: I didn't even glance at the mirror on my way out.

After making a few adjustments to my black necktie, I wrapped my hair up in a towel and hastily ran back into my bedroom.

"Welcome back," Sarah sighed, sitting on my bed and looking at something in a small, square frame.

"Thanks..." I sighed, ignoring the frame she was holding and flopping back down on my bed. "Still have ten minutes to wait for the bus, though."

Without warning, a piece of toast was stuffed into my mouth by Amber.

"Eat," she commanded, ignoring the incredulous look I threw her way. "You never eat breakfast... and that shivering seems to lessen once you've eaten."

I blinked and self-consciously started to nibble on the toast without using my hands. After a moment, I lifted my arm and clutched it, figuring it would be better just to finish eating it and get it over with. Once I was done, however, Sarah asked me for my opinion on something in a magazine... but Amber merely took the opportunity to stuff another piece of toast into my mouth, halting my words in their tracks. I instantly felt a vein bulge out in my forehead, but I chomped down on it nonetheless.

By the time I was done, it was time to wait for the bus.

"Well, looks like it's that time again," Sarah sighed, tossing her hair. "I'm kind of glad my Dad dropped me off here on his way to work!"

"Let's talk about that on the bus... I don't wanna bump into Maria on the way out," Amber muttered. "She's still mad at me for sticking gum in her hair."

I instantly blinked before turning to stare at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You stuck gum in Marie's hair?" I asked, feeling amused. "Wow... I'm impressed."

"I know, right?" Amber muttered, shuddering. "That girl is creepy beyond words."

"Don't judge a book by it's cover," I stated seriously, choosing not to notice how she twitched. "She lives with us, after all: for all we know, she might have had some pretty awful experiences. People in foster homes don't act like that unless they're scared of everything. Their attitude is a shield of sorts."

When the two girls stared at me, I merely continued looking straight ahead with my head held high. Marie was a troubled goth girl who liked to act as though she was better than the rest of them: she wore dark clothes, fishnet stockings, and had a ton of piercings all over her face. Not to mention her black dyke spike and raccoon eye make-up gave her a very dark appearance. It wouldn't have surprised me one bit if even happy, fashion-loving Amber had been irritated enough to do something like that after enduring Marie's cold hostility.

Still, I didn't think she was creepy.

Sure, I may not have liked her all that much, but in a way... I could see something familiar in her.

Something that I understood, even though I'd never really been able to put my finger on it.

Taking a deep breath, I stood there in the early morning light, eyes closed and expression tired; a salty ocean breeze pulled on my pleated skirt and messed with my hair. Then the bus arrived, doors opening with a squealing whoosh: all of the other orphans instantly hurried outside and got on, myself and my two friends included. Letting out another yawn, I casually made my way down the aisle, heading towards the empty seat located all the way in the far back: several students stared at me, Sarah, and Amber, probably recognizing us from the news... but then they went back to their sleepy, early morning chatter. I groaned and appreciatively sat down, closing my eyes... then I opened them again and started looking at the California scenery like I always did.

If there's one thing that I truly love about this state, it's the sunrise.

I never got tired of looking at it: the sunrises here were absolutely beautiful.

However, not long after that, I felt a strange prickling on my neck... similar to static electricity. I instantly straightened up with furrowed brows.

Feeling a weird tightness in my gut, I slowly turned my head and started peering out the windows, not understanding what I was looking for.

My slow movements caught the attention of the girls sitting beside me.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, sounding a bit curious. "You okay?"

_Are we being followed?_ I silently wondered, frowning a little; even as I thought it, I was wondering why I had come to that conclusion. _I have this really weird feeling that someone's watching me._

"No, I just had a weird feeling, that's all," I finally replied. "It's no prob."

"What feeling?" my friends simultaneously asked.

"Well, corny as it sounds, I feel like someone's watching me," I nervously chuckled, giving a little shrug. "It's not a pleasant feeling."

"Well, um... I don't see anyone," Amber murmured, tilting her head to the side and leaning out into the aisle to peer out the rear door. "Not even a suspicious shadow. Do you think it might be an animal or something? Or maybe someone on the bus looked at us?"

"I don't know," I explained, shrugging in a confused manner. "It's the first time I've ever had a feeling like this."

Just as I said it, the prickling sensation vanished.

"Well, is anyone watching us?" Sarah asked, glancing around in curiosity. "Maybe a secret admirer...?"

"Actually, the feeling just went away," I muttered, frowning a little. "Weird. Ah, well, maybe I was wrong."

"If you say so," Amber drawled, flapping a dismissive hand. "So... how about that weather?"

"I know, right?" Sarah laughed, instantly gushing over the topic. "Ever since that tornado touched down, people will NOT stop talking to me!"

However, I twitched when the bus started passing through the school gates, because standing near the brick wall was a hooded figure cloaked in blue.

I instantly did a double-take, since there was something familiar about that person... and it wasn't just the odd attire.

I felt like I'd seen it somewhere.

When I started staring, the blue-cloaked figure abruptly lifted its head. I felt my throat locking up when it looked at the bus we were sitting in... but then my heart froze, because I realized a little too late that its gaze had locked onto my face. It wasn't looking at the bus... it was looking at _me,_ and_ only_ me. Two glowing white eyes like headlamps burned into my face... then the figure's mouth started moving. I blinked and drew back a little as a stab of fear swept through my gut; then I lowered my eyes and turned away from the window.

Something about the person wearing that cloak was off: I didn't like the feeling the sight of those glowing eyes had given me.

It was almost as though I'd seen them somewhere before.

When the bus finally stopped behind the other buses, I got off like everyone else... but when I turned around and looked through the gates, the figure was gone.

"Creepy," I muttered, wincing when a small pain went through my forehead. "Really, _really _creepy."

However, I stiffened when I felt a draft of air tickling the back of my neck and a presence entered my awareness. Several loose strands of hair drifted in front of my face as I stood there, staring at the wall with enormous eyes. Everyone around me instantly went dead quiet and stopped walking, turning with open mouths: a ringing silence soon filled my mind, blotting out everything around me.

I felt, rather than heard, the breath of air that the person behind me took.

_I don't want to see..._ I whispered silently, heart speeding up and pounding against my chest; the world around me faded out and tilted slightly as the ringing noise filled my ears, making me see black and red spots. _I don't want to see whoever is behind m_e...

Unfortunately, I felt as though dark and shadowy hands were reaching out to grab me from behind, so I steeled myself and turned around. I found myself staring at the same figure that had been by the wall: only now, everyone had backed off and it was standing with the cloak tossed over it's shoulder. Two slender arms were folded across a rather large chest, and it was also in that moment that I realized I was looking at a girl. She was wearing a leotard with an odd-looking belt fastened around her waist, and on her feet were some flashy violet boots.

Slowly lifting my eyes, I stared at a face I had only seen in my dreams.

I twitched when I felt my heart skip a beat: I didn't want to have anything to do with her.

I knew something would change if she came anywhere near me.

"W-who are you?" I abruptly demanded, making all of the students gawk at me even more than they were already doing. "Um... can I help you?"

"Huh?" Sarah hissed, staring at me before looking at the girl with large eyes. "Sally! You don't know who this IS?!"

"I've finally found you..." the hooded figure rasped; when she started moving towards me, I backed off a few steps. "So, this is where you were hiding."

"W-what...?" I stammered, staring at her with a blank expression. "Excuse me for being blunt, but what the hell are you _talking_ about?"

"Come with me," she rasped in a low tone, continuing to move towards me. "I will explain later."

"Uh, no," I stated firmly, shaking my head in alarm. "I'm not going anywhere with you! I don't know you, so please go away."

"Sally Beth," the girl croaked, lifting a hand and clutching my arm so tightly that it hurt. "Come with me. Under the law of the State, anyone thought to have the Metagene is required to go under inspection."

I instantly blinked, then leaned away from her, eyebrows raised.

"Huuuh?" I drawled, Southern accent coming out so strongly for the first time in forever that I flushed. "Hon, are you crazy or somethin'?"

A vein popped out on the girl's forehead and her eyes narrowed.

"Are you refusing to comply?" she demanded, glaring at me fiercely. "Don't make me use force."

My eyes widened and I backed off a few steps when she lifted a hand: it was instantly obscured with something dark and black.

However, just as she was about sweep forward, Sarah and Amber stepped in front of me.

"Um, h-hello... R-Raven?" Amber exclaimed, waving at her with a grin. "Huge fan, by the way... anyway, sorry to say this, but I've known Sally for, like, two years now. She's anything but supernatural, trust me... well, that is, aside from the repelling power her eyebrows _used_ to have."

"Yeah, I can back that up," Sarah agreed, hooking a strand of light blonde hair behind her ear. "She's really not a metahuman."

The hooded girl's eyes widened when she heard the blonde's voice: for a moment, she couldn't seem to speak... and the strange power around her hand faded.

After a moment, she clenched her fist, eyes glowing white.

"Terra?" she hissed, glaring daggers at my friend. "You're... you're alive?"

"Huh?" Sarah asked, blinking in confusion before her blue eyes flooded with realization. "Oh, god, not this again... look, I already explained this to you guys months ago! My name isn't Terra, it's_Sarah! _And I've never, ever been apart of the Titans: I don't know why you think I was, but I wasn't, okay?_"_

"I can _also_ vouch for that," Amber sighed, looking at her nails. "Sarah's been my friend for a very, very long time. Nearly ten years, in fact."

The empath's eyes focused on me, and after a moment, she stepped forward and leaned close to my face.

"I'll be watching you," she stated in a low voice, making me shiver violently and swallow hard. "You make one funny move, and I will personally take you down."

With that, she turned and leapt into the air, making my heart fly up my throat: my jaw dropped and I stared when she literally just started flying away.

"W-w-w-w-what the fuck?!" I shrieked, pointing after her. "Look! Look! She's flying! How is she doing that?!"

Everyone around me instantly burst into laughter, but not too far away, there was a small group of girls who didn't even smile.

In fact, they looked pissed.

It took Amber and Sarah a while to explain who the Titans were and what they did. After Raven was gone, everyone swamped us and started asking how I knew Raven. It was Raven this, Raven that, Raven, Raven, Raven. It was annoying, really. By the time I managed to get away from them, I was late... after I put my things away, I headed to class, not really understanding why I felt like something bad was going to happen.


	8. Chapter 7: Water Shock

**Chapter Seven: Water Shock**

That day, everything started off like it normally did: I went to my locker, got my schoolbooks, and slung my bag over my shoulder. Then I headed down the hall towards my first class, the way I always did. The only noticeable differences in my daily life came in the shapes of Amber and Sarah: ever since the day that storm had sprung up, those two had practically glued themselves to my side. And sometime during the week, I had actually started thinking of them as my friends.

At lunch, they plopped themselves down at my table, and even though it bugged me that they never left me alone, I was reluctant to speak up about it.

Because there was a part of me the enjoyed their company.

Still, today was the day the pool officially opened: instead of doing gym, we'd be learning how to swim... and if I'm going to be totally honest, I was excited.

Even though I hate being cold, and even though water is normally a no-no factor for my shivers, I've always wanted to learn how to swim. I was really looking forward to it, too: back before the storm, my mother absolutely hated having anything to do with swimming and she always used to change the subject whenever I asked her why I couldn't learn.

Plus, I had been so focused on being cold, so miserable from everything else, and so bitter about being moved around that I'd never cared that I'd been signed up for the school's swimming classes. That morning, I also realized that I'd never really given thought to my surroundings. I mean, I lived in Jump City, California... the home of Surfer Dudes and Beach Bunnies.

And yet, I've never even been in the ocean.

Until today, that is.

After my first three classes had come and gone, and once lunch was finally over, it was time to head to the lockers to change. It was then that Amber came running up to me, beaming with a bright expression. When she jumped on my back and wrapped her arms around my neck, I twitched and let out a yelp, flailing my hands.

"Helloooo!" Amber squealed, happily wrapping her legs around me. "Today, we finally have a class together! Isn't that awesome, Sally?"

'Yeah, yeah, get off already," I grunted, struggling to keep my legs from buckling. "You may be little, but you're definitely not as light as you look!"

"EH?!" Amber squalled, instantly hopping down and patting her belly. "You, too? I'm not getting fat, am I?"

As if she had to worry... Amber was short, and yeah, her features were a little soft and round, but she was by no means fat. Or even chubby, for that matter.

She was all curves.

"No, you're not," I sighed, giving her a half-lidded stare. "If anything, you're simply more curvaceous than other people."

"Curvaceous?" Amber asked, skipping forward before turning around and staring at me. "Isn't that just a nice way of calling me chubby?"

"No, because the curves aren't in the belly," I retorted, feeling a little jealous of her. "You've got a dancer's figure, Amber. You've got a small waist and curves in all the right places, like an hourglass. Seriously, if anyone should be worried, it's me: I'm nothing but a stick... an undersized one at that."

"Liar," Amber chuckled, stalking forward and poking my left breast with a grin; every guy in the hall instantly stared with raised eyebrows when she continued poking both of my boobs, which in turn made my face flush scarlet. "You're tiny all right, but _these_ babies sure as hell are ANYTHING but small!"

"Quit poking my boobies!" I squealed, shakily smacking her hands out of the way and protectively clutching my chest. "No touching!"

"If you say so!" Amber sighed, shrugging with an eye-roll. "Let's go get changed, all right?"

"Only if you keep your hands to yourself," I muttered, shivering violently at the thought of chilly air on my skin. When we got to the pool, I looked up to see a man with a whistle, white shorts, and a red T-shirt standing there waiting for us: before any of us could say a word, he told the girls to go change in one room and the boys in the other.

Once we walked into the locker rooms, I headed over to the one I'd been assigned and turned the lock combination. I changed quickly in the corner because I didn't want anyone to see how frail I am: I'm thin because I don't eat much, and since I'm also extremely tiny, it was uncomfortable being around so many beautiful girls. After undressing and sliding on my bathing suit, I stuffed my uniform inside my locker and shook my hair out, still wishing my curls would come back soon.

I didn't like the waves, especially since it made my hair feel way longer than I was used to.

It was no longer knee-length: after the first three days, the waves had come back, which had made my hair length shrink up to just below my backside.

It was still a far-cry from where it had been before, just above my waist.

But I was patient: I would wait until my curls returned and NEVER straighten my hair again.

Amber smiled at me after she put her clothes in her locker.

"Damn, girl," she said, eyeing me; the skirt connected to it looked like iridescent starlight. "I should have bought one of those swimsuits... it looks cute."

"Thanks," I replied, watching as she squashed her frizzy red hair into a tight swimming cap. "I like your cap, though: you're lucky to be able to keep your hair pinned back."

"Who are you kidding?" Amber laughed, rolling her eyes, "I'd rather not wear it, just for the sake of seeing my hair turn into a frizz ball, but Sarah's forcing me to."

I shrugged, feeling a bit amused: Miss Figgins had blatantly refused to buy me one for two reasons alone.

A: because of how long my hair is, she personally believed that I should show it off.

And B… they weren't required for swim class, so it was less money she needed to spend.

"Well, look who it is," a familiar voice stated, making me wince; Amber's eyes darkened and she turned, glaring at the two beautiful girls who'd leaned against the lockers with folded arms. The blonde looked at her nails before glancing at the Hispanic girl beside her. Oddly enough, her dark eyebrows mismatched her light hair color: it was kind of... ugly. "If it isn't Amber McFreckles, and... um, what's her face? Sorry, darling, I don't know her name. Maybe you do?"

For a long moment, the Hispanic girl merely stared at me, one eyebrow quirked as she took in my appearance.

"This ratchet ass hoe?" she asked, sneering at me. "I don't know her."

I winced again and averted my eyes, shivering violently.

And this time, it had absolutely nothing to do with me feeling cold.

Amanda Mendez and Lilith Jones were the Queen Bees of Murakami high school. The two of them hung out together between classes every day, and they were always eating together at lunch… what they wanted from us, I didn't know, but seeing Mandy gave me a sick feeling in my stomach.

Simply because the two of us had been friends once.

It had been back when I'd first arrived to Jump City: I'd been in my last year of Middle School, and I had transferred near the end of it, so nobody knew me. And yet, the most beautiful Hispanic girl I'd ever seen had approached me out of the blue and asked my where I'd gotten my perm.

Which had, in turn, led us to talking a little bit about myself _and_ my situation. After about a week of spending time together, Mandy had invited me to spend the night. Unfortunately, Amanda had apparently wanted to play a joke on me.

So, without letting me know, she'd popped the movie 'Twister' into the Dvd player.

It had been cleverly thought out, because when she popped it in, she'd asked me to go get some drinks from the kitchen. Long story short, I had come back with a tray full of snacks and two glasses full of sodapop... just as the scene with the television flashing 'tornado warning' cut out and switched to Jo's family running for the shelter.

I'd had a panic attack as a result, and dropped the tray, causing the soda to stain her carpet AND a three thousand dollar cashmere coat. After that, she'd kicked me out. I hadn't meant to do it, but… well, let's just say that I'm not welcome near her home anymore.

Mandy hadn't spoken to me since that incident... at least, not until today.

Unfortunately, as it turns out, we'd ended up in the same swim class at Murakami High School.

Fabulous.

"I smell a fake blonde whore," Lilith drawled, waving her hand in front of her nose. "Let's get going before we get an STD."

"Close the hole spewing that garbage, Lilith," Amber scoffed, planting a hand on her hip. "Hypocrisy isn't a virtue, and for the record, Sally's hair is _all_natural!"

"Tch, with _that_ color?" the blonde girl asked, obviously not believing it. "I doubt it. She should go get rid of that bad dye-job after she gets home. It really doesn't look good."

"Excuse me?" I snorted, staring at the taller girl in total amazement. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but this really _is_ my natural hair color. I mean, damn, it shouldn't be that hard to figure out since my eyebrows and even my _eyelashes_ match the color of my hair: nothing about it screams 'dyed,' all right?"

"It doesn't match your skin color, honey, but nice try!" Lilith snapped, snapping her fingers like a diva on a PMS rampage; Mandy simply hung back and stayed out of it since she knew for a fact that my hair was naturally this color. "There's no way you could ever have _natural_ blonde hair with an olive skin tone! I mean, sure, you may be a little pale and all despite your skin type, but still! It's not possible! You'd have to be Italian or something, duh!"

"Wow... are you dense?" I demurely inquired, tilting my head to the side in subtle amusement. "I almost never bring it up, but my last name is Rossetti, moron: believe it or not, I _am_ Italian. Seventy five percent of my mother's ancestors came from Northern Italy, and the rest are pure Irish on my father's side. Hence the Blonde hair."

"Yeah, so don't even try going down on Sally just because _you_ feel insecure about not being legally blonde, okay?" Amber added, smirking at her. "Lilith Jones, your hair is practically neon yellow and your roots are showing through. There isn't a single person in school knows who DOESN'T know it's a dye job. The funniest part, though, is that nobody's ever had a passing thought about Sally's hair color. Why, you may ask? Because she's not a bitch: she doesn't flaunt her assets like you do."

Lilith instantly fumed and glanced at Mandy, who merely shrugged.

"Whatever," she seethed, stalking forward and leaning down into my face. "It's disgusting how you think you're all that just because you were on the news. Even more so that you're getting attention simply because one of the Teen Titans talked to you. You're not special, and you're _not_ popular. Don't forget that."

With that, she tossed her hair and stormed away with Mandy hot on her heels.

When I finally turned away, I realized with a small feeling of dismay that all of the other girls in the locker room had been watching the display: I hastily averted my eyes, feeling an unpleasantly cold sensation sweeping through my chest. Still, it had kind of come as a shock to me. We'd started out as pretty good friends, even though we'd only talked for about two weeks... but girls do hold grudges, even over the small things.

"Just ignore those idiots," Amber sighed, touching my hair before poking my cheek. "You really do look like a natural blonde: you've got an olive complexion, that much is true, but you're not tan or anything. And while you may not be fair-skinned, at least you won't ever have to worry about pimples and freckles, right"

"Yeah, yeah," I sighed, smoothing the skirt on my suit before I hurried out. "If you say so."

When we were all standing in front of the pool, the man in the shorts and t-shirt walked back and forth like a military Sergeant.

"Okay, listen up, 9C," the man with the whistle thundered, speaking in a commanding tone. "I'm your swimming instructor, and you will address me as Kyle from this moment onward. First of all, are any of you kids totally confident about swimming on your own?"

Amber didn't even look up from her nails: she was busy checking the nail polish on them, looking mildly worried and muttering something about chlorine.

When nobody answered, he sighed and spoke again.

"Okay," Kyle stated, looking around. "Who's happy to swim confidently and sensibly?"

Three-fourths of the class raised their hands.

"All right, you all can get in if you want—but walk down to the shallow end," Kyle barked, nodding at them before he turned to the rest of us; we were lined up by the side of the pool, but I was the only one who was shivering. "You guys will be with me and the kickboards."

"I'm gonna sneak away to the pro side," I whispered, nudging Amber and making her blink at me. "I learn things better when I'm going at my own pace."

"You sure?" she asked, looking worried. "Swimming is a bit different than gym class, Sally... it can be dangerous, too."

"Yeah, I think I can handle it," I murmured, giving a shrug. "If worst comes to worst, I'll doggypaddle."

Amber's worry slipped into an amused expression and she nodded, snickering under her breath.

The moment Kyle turned his head away and looked at his clipboard, I did as I said I would and secretly snuck in with the group that was making their way down to the shallow end of the pool. I'd never swum before, so I know that shouldn't have done it, but I simply couldn't help myself any longer. I just knew I could do it on my own, somehow: the water looked so beautiful lying so still and calm… as though it were holding its breath and waiting for someone to jump in and set it alive with splashes and ripples.

There were five big steps that led gradually into the water.

I stepped down onto the first one, and closed my silver eyes as warm water trickled over my toes.

Another step and the water wobbled over my knees, but after taking two more, I pushed myself into the water and opened my eyes as my swimsuit's skirt billowed out behind me. I felt myself smiling as a wonderful feeling filled my chest: not giving anyone a chance to see the rare grin on my face, I quickly ducked my head under the waves and spread my slender arms wide. The moment I held my breath and swam deeper into the water, the silence of it totally surrounded me.

Silence... soothing, calming silence.

And yet, it also seemed to be calling for me simultaneously, drawing my body through its silky calmness with a whisper.

It was almost as if I'd found... _warmth._

The moment I'd touched this liquid, the iciness within me had all but vanished: I could feel the warmth inside my body. My hair billowed out when I swirled under the water and corkscrewed around, twisting my body and reveling in the sensation of it meshing with the liquid enfolding me. When I finally came up for air, I flung my head back and my hair went flying in an arc. Water rained around me when I touched bottom, staring up at the ceiling with shining aquamarine eyes.

I felt alive.

For the first time since I'd visited Raven's mind, I had found something that could warm me up.

Water... water, water, water.

"Now, THAT is more like it! You're a natural!" Kyle shouted, startling the hell out of me; I instantly twitched and turned my head, watching as he turned back to the others, who were staring at me with wide eyes and open mouths. I felt the blood drain from my face when I realized Mandy's eyes were firing hatred at me. "That right there is what I'd like to see you _all_ doing by the end of the term."

I shook my head and took off into the water again, diving under the surface and feeling the silence engulf me.

I felt at peace... so peaceful, so happy, so calm...

But then it happened.

One minute I was skimming through the water like a fish, the next, my entire body suddenly seized up on me and a shock went through it. My eyes flew open wide since it felt almost as though somebody had just stuck an electrical outlet into the pool. I flailed and swam for the surface: once I broke it, took a breath of air and tried to tread water, but it felt as though I was being shocked.

"What the hell?" Kyle barked, jumping and looking at the water. "Everyone! Out, now!"

All around, people let out startled shouts and clamored for the edge of the pool. My turquoise eyes went wide: I instantly tried to swim to the side, too, but my legs had turned to a block of stone. I couldn't feel my knees, my feet, or my toes... hell, even my arms and upper torso were numb.

Had I been electrocuted?! Was I paralyzed?!

A second later, I almost went under completely, since another electrical shock went through the pool.

"Help!" I shrieked, getting a mouthful of water. "Help! I can't move!"

Kyle instantly whirled around; after taking note of where I was, he shouted for everyone to stay put before he dove in—still wearing his shorts and T-shirt. As he did so, another shock surged through the water, zapping the hell out of me.

"OWWW!" I screeched, stiffening up so badly that I sank beneath the water; I flailed my arms and pulled my face back up to air. "Ow! The water! It's shocking me!"

It was only then that I realized that strange blue haze had obscured my irises.

When Kyle swam over to me, he cupped my chin in his big hand and began a powerful backstroke to bring us back over to the side.

"Everyone, stay away from the water!" he barked loudly, making me jump. "There are electrical currents running through the pool! As of right now, I'd declaring it to be a hazard until I can get maintenance down here!"

"I can't feel my body!" I cried, panicking when I realized the numbness had returned. "I can't feel it at all anymore!"

"Don't worry," he rumbled, deep voice vibrating my body. "It's just a cramp: it happens to everyone. It probably happened because of the electricity in the water."

When we reached the big steps at the side of the pool, he pulled me out and dragged me away from the water.

"Let's have a look at you," Kyle stated, lifting me up onto the side of the pool. "Can you lift your left arm and leg?"

I hesitantly attempted to do so, then shivered and sighed in relief.

"It's getting better now," I stammered, shivering violently. "The numbness is gone... but... what was that? It felt... kind of like sticking a penny into an electrical socket! It hurt!"

"I don't know," Kyle sighed, then looked at the pool. "Unfortunately, if there's some sort of wiring loose beneath the tiles, we'll have to shut the pool down again and get it looked at. All right class, lesson's over for today! Go get showered and put your uniforms back on. Study hall in your homerooms."

Just as I was thinking it would be better to dry off before the others, Mandy walked up beside me and leaned close to my ear: without turning my head, I glanced to the left.

"I don't know what you did..." she hissed, making me shiver, "but whatever it was, it wasn't normal. I saw it, Sally Beth... for a moment, your eyes were glowing. I knew something was strange about you, but now I know you're not normal. Don't think you can hide it."

When she glared at me and finally backed away, I merely stood there with an uncomfortable expression on my face, not knowing how to react.

One thing was slowly becoming clear to me, though: I seriously needed to figure out what was going on with me.


	9. Chapter 8: Dust Devilry

**Chapter Eight: Dust Devilry**

After the events in the pool, I didn't know what to think.

So, I merely sat in my desk and stared blankly at my textbooks, too nervous and confused to really do any studying. I was half tempted to look out the window and see if I could really control the wind, but there was a part of me that didn't want to know. Sadly, at this point, I couldn't ignore the signs that something strange was happening to me. I didn't know what it was, nor did I know how to deal with it, but I had some pretty wild suspicions.

And all of them had me worried

But really, even if I couldn't do what I was suspecting I might be able to... knowing the truth was better than not knowing it.

So, after about ten minutes of drawing up that conclusion, I finally lifted my eyes and stared at a few trees resting outside the window. Then, filling myself up with a desire to make them move, I stared at them and simply let myself think of the tornado I'd seen. Almost instantly, that weird blue haze clouded my vision and a wave of wind tore through the leaves outside. I jumped and the haze in my eyes vanished when windows rattled on their frames, making several students look up.

Slowly, the iciness inside my body faded a little: warmth bloomed for a few moments before fading away.

"What in the name of God's green Earth...?" I whispered, blinking at the trees with startled eyes. "No way... there's no way..."

"Miss Rossetti!" Mr. Garret barked, making me whirl to the front. "Class is in Session! Please remain silent."

"Yes, Sir," I squeaked, shivering and huddling down. "S-sorry."

It was decided: I didn't know how, or even why, but there was something seriously freaky going on with me. Somehow, just thinking about certain things made gusts of wind blow... it was frightening. However, that simple realization released a flood of insane questions into my brain: if it wasn't just a strange coincidence, how in the world was I manipulating the wind? And if I was indeed doing it, had I always had this ability? How had it developed?

Why me...?

I didn't have an answer for any of these questions.

And since Mandy had blatantly told me my eyes had been glowing earlier, I was too scared to continue trying to convince myself in front of my classmates.

So, I merely stared at my hands with my shoulders hunched, heart pounding a mile a minute as I waited for school to be over.

After two more classes had come and gone, I still hadn't moved from my position... and it was because of this that Sarah started looking at me. When the last bell finally rang, everyone got up in a flurry of action, talking to each other and gathering their things. Sarah, on the other hand, merely sauntered over to me and sat down on my desk. I waited for a long moment to lift my eyes, but when I did, I realized she was looking at me with a sympathetic smile.

"So," she sighed, fiddling with a strand of light blonde hair. "I heard about what happened with Lilith."

I stared at her.

"And?" I drawled, Southern accent coming out unexpectedly strong. "Your point is?"

"Well, don't worry about her too much," Sarah explained, setting a hand on my head before leaning back and staring at the ceiling. "If you just ignore her and let the hype of everything fizzle out, she'll forget about this and move on. Trust me, she did the same thing to me when Beast Boy showed up a few months ago and started following me around."

I stared again, tilting my head with a frown.

"Beast... boy?" I asked, feeling confused. "Who's that?"

Sarah's jaw dropped open and she glanced at me in surprise; similarly, everyone still within hearing range turned and gawked at me.

"You don't know who Beast Boy is?!" the blonde girl exclaimed, looking totally stunned. "Dude, how do you not know?!"

"Um, hello?" I snorted, pointing at myself. "Antisocial alert! Plus, I'm not exactly from around here."

Sarah gawped at me, shoulders hunched forward in a fairly exaggerated form of shock.

"You seriously don't know about the Teen Titans?!" she stammered, giving me an odd look.

"If you're talking about that group of vigilantes everyone is always raving about, no," I snorted, shrugging. "I don't know anything about them."

"Okay, looks like we're gonna have to take this from square one," Sarah sighed, swinging her legs. "So, for starters, the Teen Titans protect Jump City."

"Hold up," I interrupted, lifting a hand with a sigh. "Figuratively speaking, aren't the police the ones who should be doing the protecting?"

"Well, yeah, and they do," Sarah explained, lifting a hand, "but the police can't handle Metahumans without using _lethal_ force. And since nobody wants anybody to end up dead, supernatural or not, that's why the Titans deal with the cases that the police can't fully handle."

"There are really a group of teenagers who take on situations like that?" I asked, feeling rather amazed. "How do they do it?"

"Well, they all have abilities of their own, for the most part," the blonde explained. "In fact, based on what I've heard, Robin is the only one who _doesn't_ have any special abilities. He's not weak, though: he's got some serious talent with martial arts and acrobatics, which kind of makes up for it."

"Who?" I asked, furrowing my brows. "Who's Robin?"

"He's is the leader of the Titans," Sarah murmured, shaking her head. "Okay, look: there are five Titans. First off is Robin, the leader, then there's Cyborg. He's... well, half robot, half human. He's a huge role model for the people in Jump City who have prosthetic limbs, too. Next is Starfire... she's the prettiest member of the Teen Titans, but there are some weird rumors going around the city that she's actually an alien."

"An alien?" I deadpanned, eyes growing half lidded. "You really expect me to believe that?"

"I know how it sounds, but trust me: you'd have to see her in action to see why," my friend countered, giving me a serious look. "She's got... some strange powers, and even stranger habits. Like, her hands glow bright green, and she can shoot lasers out of her eyes, and she's super strong! And... she drinks mustard."

"Ew! Seriously?" I asked, feeling a little grossed out. "You're not pulling my leg, are you? She really drinks mustard?"

"Yeah, actually: the Titans always hang out at a nearby Pizza place, and they go to the park all the time. A lot of people have seen it," Sarah told me, giving me an earnest look. "Beast Boy's the only vegetarian in the group, and... well, he's kind of funny looking. He's got green skin and his ears are pretty weird, but he can turn into any animal you could possibly think of and he's surprisingly well known for being a goofball. There are a lot of girls out there who claim he's tried to hit on them in the past, but honestly? There isn't a single person who _doesn't_ know he's head over heels for Terra."

I blinked and lifted my eyes when something came back to me.

The hooded girl from my dreams had taken one look at Sarah and called her by the same name.

Which was a pretty odd coincidence...

"Who's Terra?" I asked, feeling curious. "I've been hearing that name thrown around a lot lately, especially when it comes to you."

Sarah instantly looked uncomfortable, and for a moment, she averted her arctic blue eyes.

"I... don't really know much about her, either," she stated simply, shaking her head. "I do remember that it was a pretty big deal when she first joined the Titans... it was even on the news for a while. Unfortunately, when the news went public, people here at school noticed how much she and I looked alike. And once they noticed, they even started comparing the two of us. Eventually, though, people forgot about it... at least, until Beast Boy showed up a few months ago, thinking I was her."

"Wait, what?" I asked, eyebrows lifting slightly. "He thought you were Terra? Why?"

"Well, nobody really knows, but apparently something happened to her and she went missing," Sarah grumbled, touching her nose. "Even now it really bugs me, you know? I mean, he threw _mud _at me! I was embarrassed in front of everyone! And after that, he kept following me around, asking if I remembered anything about the Titans! It got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore and pretty much gave him the only response I thought would make him leave me alone."

I stared at her, not really knowing what to say.

"That's kind of strange," I muttered, tilting my head as something odd occurred to me. "Hang on... you said there are five Titans, right? If that's the case, who the heck is Raven? Everyone made a big deal about that girl being in the Titans... right?"

"Her?" Sarah asked, eyebrows lifting somewhat. "Nobody knows much of anything about her, aside from the fact that she's dark and likes the color blue."

"Robin, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy," I murmured, feeling kind of baffled. "Cool names… but I wonder what their real names are?"

"Real names?" Sarah asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, aren't superheroes supposed to hide their true identities?" I asked, frowning at her. "You don't see Batman going to the supermarket, do you?"

"Oh... I see your point," Sarah muttered, lowering her eyes. "That's actually a pretty good observation."

When the School bell rang again, signalling that the gates were going to be closing soon, I looked at the clock and sighed before hefting my backpack.

It was in that same moment when Amber charged into the room.

"Hurry!" she exclaimed, flailing her arms. "We're gonna miss the bus!"

"Actually, I'm not taking it today," I stated quietly, shaking my head when the two of them stared at me in surprise. "Since it's so nice outside, I decided earlier that I might as well head to the park today."

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Sarah asked, looking a little surprised. "I didn't think you knew your way around."

"I'll be fine," I sighed, shaking my head with a half-lidded stare. "I'm actually planning on exploring a bit. In a city as big as Jump City, it'd be really easy for me to get lost... so I'm gonna go look around. Tell Miss Figgins I'll be home late if she asks. I don't want her worrying about me."

"Well, if you say so," Amber pouted, patting my arm. "Just come back to the Home safely, okay?"

"I will, I will," I murmured, watching with dazed eyes as the two girls made their way for the doors and walked out into the hall. After they were out of sight, I followed them and looked around the halls, making sure the coast was clear before I bolted: I needed some time to think, so I didn't really care whether or not people would be around.

I needed time to get my thoughts in check.

But more importantly, I needed a place to test myself.

The park was an open place, and despite the people that would be there, I knew for a fact it would be a great spot for what I had in mind.

I left the building with a tense feeling in my stomach.

Then, I began to walk... one foot after the other, taking a path away from my high school and feeling completely strange. Looking around me, I stared at the people walking along the sidewalks as I went, keeping an eye out for sketchy people even as I made my way towards where I thought the park was. Once I was away from the school, I found it a little easier to breathe, so I decided to ask for some directions, just to be certain.

Feeling a little nervous, I walked over to an old woman feeding some pigeons on a nearby bench.

"Excuse me, Ma'am," I called, waving at her when she glanced up and peered at me through her small round glasses. "Do you know where the park is?"

"Oh, yes, dearie!" she confirmed, smiling at me before lifting a wrinkled hand and pointing down the street. "Walk down that road and cross three streets, then turn right and walk straight down until you see a big sign. Then turn left: the park is right there. I hear they're having a lot of barbecues there today!"

"Thank you," I murmured, nodding twice before walking away. "I appreciate it!"

"Be careful, Dearie!" she called. "I hear there have been a lot of villains out today!"

I took no notice of her warning and merely kept going: I was confident enough in my MMA training to keep myself out of any serious trouble.

Following the directions I'd been given, I eventually made it to the park... but I was seriously dismayed to discover that it was utterly packed with people. Everyone was running around and having a good time: families were grilling, couples were having picnics, and children were playing with kites and toys. Feeling a little dismayed, I let out a sigh and started walking towards the park... but then, a strong gust of wind tossed my hair around.

And I blinked as a small thrumming sensation settled deep in the core of my stomach.

Going against my judgement, I walked over to a nearby patch of grass beneath a tree and sat down out of sight, watching all of the children and adults have fun. Now and then, I found myself smiling, since everyone looked happy... but then, my eyes landed on a little boy sitting all alone over in the sandbox. Nobody was near him, and nobody was playing with him... in fact, the parents seemed to be keeping their own children away from him.

Regardless, he had this big, goofy grin on his face.

"Why is that child playing all by himself?" a woman walking past inquired. "I've been watching him for a while, and it bothers me."

"I hear he's one of those Metahumans," the man beside her explained. "He can apparently make things catch on fire without doing anything. I hear he burned his own house down because he couldn't control his abilities... all the people are scared of him."

"Well, where is his mother?" she asked. "Or his father?"

"Nobody knows where the father is," the man stated. "Apparently, he ran out on the family. His mother is most likely working... poor woman has to do everything in her power just to keep the government from locking that kid up."

I felt my stomach twist in irritation and sympathy: the kid they were talking about was no older than six or seven. His face was a little dirty, his dark hair was short, and he had an adorable gap in his teeth. And yet... even though he was obviously alone, his dark brown eyes were the brightest I'd ever seen. I got so curious that I actually stood up and walked over to him without thinking. Squatting down in the sandbox beside him, I planted my chin in my knees and waited.

After a moment, he looked up at me, curious.

"Hello!" I greeted, giving him a little wave. "What's your name?"

He blinked at me, then gave me the biggest grin I'd ever seen.

"Tyler!" he exclaimed. "I'm Tyler Babbowitz! What's your name?"

"Sally Beth," I replied, giving him a small smile. "My full name is Sallia Bethlehem, but I go by Sally Beth."

"Sallia Bethlehem?" the kid asked, going back to digging in the sand. "That's a nice name! So, does that mean your Daddy's last name is Bethlehem, too?"

"Nope," I sighed, waving a hand. "Not a chance."

The little boy paused, then looked up at me with confused eyes.

"Really? Then what's his name?" he asked, looking at me expectantly. "All daddies have last names!"

I merely shrugged, suddenly feeling uncomfortable: I don't exactly know what had compelled me to talk to this little boy... it could have been a lot of things.

After a moment, his expression changed and he slowly stretched out a hand, clasping the edge of my blazer. I blinked at the touch and looked at him again.

"Hey..." he asked, staring at me with an earnest expression. "Could it be... you don't have a Daddy?"

"Yeah," I confirmed, nodding with a regretful smile. "I don't have a Dad anymore."

All of a sudden, he lowered his eyes and stared off into space, bright expression going out like a light. The gleam in his eyes seemed a little lost. Then, without warning, his fingers burst into flame and my blazer caught fire. Letting out a gasp, I flailed my arm and smashed it into the sand, rubbing the fire out with enormous teal eyes. The kid instantly jumped away and his eyes glimmered with fear.

"I'm sorry!" he cried. "I didn't mean to!"

"I-it's fine!" I stammered, still spooked beyond words. "Don't worry about it... I didn't get burned, and my blazer is fine. See?"

When I dusted the sand off of my clothes and lifted my arm, he glanced at the small scorch mark in the cloth and sighed: all around us, the parents and children were staring, some alarmed, others skeptical and a little hostile. However, when the little boy drew his knees up to his chin and dropped his shovel, I let out a sigh and picked it up. Silently, I started piling some sand together, being careful not to get it in my dress shoes.

After about seven minutes of this, the boy looked at me.

"Why aren't you running away?" he asked, looking as though it were a genuine question. "Everyone else is always scared of me."

"Do I look scared to you?" I asked, giving him a sarcastic expression. "Kid, just because you've got a little more to you than others, it doesn't mean you're scary."

"But the other kids say I'll be a bad guy when I grow up!" he protested, then lifted his hands and held them out: I blinked and stared when they spontaneously caught fire and started glowing from yellow to blue. "They say that only super villains have powers like this!"

It was in that moment that I figured out why I had understood him and reached out.

It was the same reason why I didn't find Marie's attitude around the other orphans scary: I recognized something in him that was also in myself.

"You know?" I sighed, patting the sandcastle and sculpting it with thoughtful eyes. "I think those kids are wrong, Tyler. Just because you have... powers... doesn't mean you need to be a villain. I mean, what about the Titans? Aren't they supposed to be superheroes?"

"Yeah!" he exclaimed, nodding furiously. "I always say I'm gonna be a superhero, but everyone laughs at me! They say I'm evil because I burned my own house down!"

"That was an accident, though, wasn't it?" I deadpanned, giving him a smirk. "Who cares what they say?"

For a long moment, he stared at the ground... then he glanced up at me.

"Sally?" he asked, tilting his head. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because you're not the only one who's alone, kiddo," I muttered, shaking my head and sitting back on the sand; feeling disgruntled, I looked up at the sky and shivered from the iciness inside my body. "The other kids, they think I'm weird, too... but I don't wanna be."

"They think you're weird?" he asked, blinking rapidly. "Why?"

"Well, lots of strange things have been happening around me lately," I admitted, wondering why I was confessing this to a little boy. "I think I might actually have... you know, _powers..._ but I'm not sure. I want to find out if I do, and that's why I came here today... I just didn't expect so many people to be here."

"You have powers?!" he exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. "Show me! Show me!"

"In front of all these people?" I asked, staring at him in alarm. "No way!"

"Who cares what they say?" he laughed, eyes lighting up from the inside out. "Show me!"

I was caught in a pickle... why had I bothered?

"Fine, I'll try," I muttered, closing my eyes and finally standing up. "Don't expect anything, though... I'm sure as hell not."

Thus, after taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes again and stared at a nearby spot on the grass and thought as hard as I could about the tornado I'd seen... I thought about wanting to make another one. I yearned to make the wind around me do as I wanted... and like before, that blue haze obscured my eyes and something in the wind shifted. Lifting my arms as though I were giving the sky a hug, I lowered my eyes and stared at the grass near my feet.

Then, almost of their own accord, my eyes began to rotate in a circular manner... and a small gust of wind began spiraling around in front of me, slowly growing larger and larger. The little boy stood up and gasped when some sand and several leaves were pulled into the rapidly rotating column of air. When it was around my height, I flicked my eyes to the left and the mini tornado whirled off in that direction.

The little boy squealed with laughter and chased after it, hands in the air.

"Wow!" he exclaimed, chasing after the dust devil with huge eyes. "This is so cool!"

I felt awed at first, as though what I was seeing was too impossible to fathom... but then, the realization hit me and a grin spread across my face. Eyes glowing blue with total delight, I laughed myself silly and created another dust devil... then another. More children who were running around laughed and started chasing after the mini whirlwinds, and even a few of the parents who'd been ignoring us came over to see what the commotion was all about.

As I stood there, manipulating the dust devils I'd conjured, an odd sensation of prideful empowerment filled my gut.

How this had come to be, I had absolutely no clue, but it was totally incredible. Me, with superpowers?! And controlling the WIND no less?! It was nothing short of outrageously amazing! I could CONTROL the WIND! And the best part was that, as I stood there, arms spread, long hair billowing around from the breezes around me... the numbing iciness inside me once again began to recede. It faded, and warmth swept into my body, making me feel vibrant and alive.

After a few minutes, I finally lowered my arms and the whirlwinds dissolved.

All of the children pouted and went back to their previous activities, but nobody, not even the adults who'd started chasing the dust devils with their children, had really comprehended that I was the one who'd made them. Tyler soon came running over, eyes sparkling. Running right up to my leg, he latched himself onto my knee-length skirt and grinned, little hands tightening on the cloth.

"Are you a superhero?!" he asked, eyes wide with wonder. "How did you do that?!"

"I don't... know, exactly," I explained, sinking down and feeling oddly tired. "This is the first time I've done it... and no, I'm not a superhero. Just a regular girl."

"You're so cool!" he exclaimed, tugging on my skirt. "I want to be just like you when I grow up!"

"No way!" I snorted, waving a hand. "Be like yourself! Anyway, I wanted to ask earlier... but where exactly is your Mom?"

"I... have to wait a little longer before Mama comes," the little boy sighed, letting go of my clothes. "She has work."

"Oh, so that's why you're here alone?" I asked, giving him a curious expression. "Work, huh?"

"But she's a hard worker!" Tyler unexpectedly exclaimed, making me blink. "Even though she's been having a hard time since I burned the house, she makes me breakfast and lunch every day! She's nice! Really! And she doesn't care that I have powers! She tells everyone the house was an accident! Just because Daddy hates me doesn't mean I'm a bad guy!"

"She sounds like a wonderful mother," I murmured, shaking my head. "I envy you."

"Huh?" he asked, staring at me in confusion. "Aren't you going to say she's no good?"

"At what?" I snorted, frowning a little.

"Everyone says I have a bad mom," he mumbled, looking down. "They say that Mom's no good, but they're wrong! Really! She's great! She works really, really hard!"

When he clenched his fists and they abruptly caught fire, he squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his head.

Without a word, I started clapping, watching as he slowly raised his head to look at me.

"It's wonderful that you have such a great, hard-working mom," I murmured, clapping even as I said it. "You're lucky."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes!" I confirmed, finally breaking into a smile. "She sounds like a wonderful mother."

Almost immediately, the fire around his hands dissolved and his eyes lit up. Soon after, a radiant smile slid across his face... but then his eyes watered and his expression scrunched up. Without a word, he lunged at me and wrapped his arms around my middle, burying his face in my dress shirt. I instantly stiffened, lifting my arms and staring down at him with a startled expression.

"W-what's wrong?" I asked, not sure what I was supposed to do. "Are you okay?"

When he merely tightened his grip and buried his face further, I felt a little sad: slowly lowering my arms, I returned the embrace and ruffled his hair.

"Thank you," he whispered, slowly turning his head and staring off at the street; even though he was smiling, a tear slid down his cheek. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem, kiddo," I stated simply, giving him a smile when he pulled away and returned to the sandbox. "I'm gonna get going now."

"I'll become a superhero one day," he exclaimed, rubbing his nose and grinning at me. "I'll be a superhero just like you!"

I merely stood up with a small wave and turned to look at everyone in the park: they had been staring at us the whole time, but the moment I glanced their way, they turned their heads and tried to act as though they hadn't seen anything. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my school bag before heading for the road.

Now all I could do was wonder about my future.

I had supernatural powers. That much was clear... but how could I conceal that fact? Better yet, what was going to do about it? Sure, controlling the wind was a cool gift to have, but I really didn't need to give my peers another reason to feel alienated. I hadn't exactly been a popular person to begin with, and I sure as hell didn't think showing off my new ability would gain me popularity. If anything, it would probably do the opposite and plunge me further down.

The fact that everyone had shunned that poor kid was proof enough for me.

"What am I gonna do?" I wondered aloud, stopping and staring up at the sky. "Too bad this isn't something that comes with a guide book."

As a few loose strands of my hair were tousled in the wind, I hefted my bag over my shoulders and walked in the direction of the foster house.

However, just as I was passing by a narrow, dark alley between some insanely tall buildings, a pale hand snapped out of the shadows and down clamped over my mouth. My eyes flew open wide and my heart nearly stopped as I was seamlessly jerked out of the open, long blonde hair gleaming before it flew into the darkness of the alley; nobody even noticed I'd been jerked out of sight because of how flawlessly I'd vanished.

My eyes became huge when another large hand clamped down on my wrist.

Flawlessly, my arm was twisted behind my back and someone's warm breath tickled my neck.

When I tried to struggle, the fist on my arm tightened painfully.

It was in that moment that my instincts kicked in and I stomped on my assailant's foot; when a small grunt met my ears and the hold slackened for a moment, I used my free arm to elbow my attacker in the gut. The hand on my mouth was instantly removed, leaving only the one pinning my arm behind me: taking a deep breath, I flexibly flipped my body around my own arm to straighten it out, simultaneously bringing my leg up.

With little warning whatsoever, I angrily nailed whoever was attacking me in the face with a flexible kick.

The hold on me was completely broken as a result, and I used that to my advantage: gripping my bag, I tore out of the alley and darted down the street.

When I finally stopped, I was nearly back to my current residence: panting heavily, I chanced a glance behind me, but I didn't see anyone.

Stupidly, I hadn't even attempted to see what my attacker looked like, but I figured it had simply been a random attack so I shrugged it off.

I had more pressing issues to worry about, anyway.


	10. Chapter 9: Rumors and a Fight

**Chapter Nine: Rumors and a Fight**

The next day, the classroom was buzzing with gossip: I was busy studying for the first half of it, but from what I'd gathered, it was about some random fight the Titans had gotten into near the park I myself had visited. Not like it mattered to me... truth be told, when I'd left for school that morning, my face had been unusually pale and there were bags upon bags on my eyelids from exhaustion. Even though I hadn't really done anything all that taxing, I'd felt like a total wreck all morning long.

Sarah had tried to hold a conversation with me between breaks, but even she could tell I was out of it.

Still, when the lunch bell rang, I felt relieved: I was hungrier than usual, and since I was already a shivering wreck, I felt like eating something hot might help with whatever bug I might or might not have been coming down with. Unfortunately, Amber was absent that day, and Sarah had to run on ahead to deliver some stuff for the lunch hour since it was a Thursday, which basically meant I was going to be eating by myself.

Which wasn't anything new, mind you, but I was kind of bummed since I actually enjoyed their company.

So, after hefting my bag, I headed to the cafeteria, feeling more than just a little out of it.

After grabbing two slabs of pizza and a carton of Juice, I plodded almost robotically over to an empty table and sat down, smoothing my pleated skirt. After opening my chemistry book to the page I'd left off at, I started chowing down in a lazy fashion, simultaneously wondering if I should tell Sarah and Amber about my strange new powers. If anyone were going to accept them, those two girls most definitely would... or, at least, I hoped they would.

Hence why I was wondering.

Miss Figgins, on the other hand, had been absolutely overjoyed when I'd told her I'd made friends with a few people.

She'd known how lonely I was, though I didn't really talk about it.

Just as I took another bite of my pizza, that's when it happened: the girls seemed to come out of nowhere, like asteroids suddenly hurtling into the atmosphere and bursting into flames. Lilith Jones and Mandy Mendez were suddenly standing next to me, causing the pizza to stop halfway down my throat. The girls didn't say a word as I finished chewing, only stood there with their arms folded and their feet tapping. I took a generous amount of time finishing the bite of food I had, but when I swallowed and couldn't think of anything else to do, I simply turned and looked up at them expectantly. Lilith was watching me with a sneer on her face: her blue eyes were small and full of venom.

Mandy was merely hanging back, although she looked rather smug and cocky for some reason.

When they still didn't say anything, I quirked an eyebrow in question; still no response, just those cocky little stares.

After a few more moments, I shrugged and went back to studying, lazily taking another bite of my pizza.

I wasn't going to even try to initiate a conversation in the face of their open hostility.

"Well, well, well," Lilith finally drawled, curling her lip at me and flapping her hand in front of her nose. "No wonder your face is always so greasy! Your calorie intake is, like, totally off the charts! I'm surprised you haven't blown up like a blimp... although, you're well on your way."

"Mm-hm," I lazily hummed, not opening my mouth or even taking my eyes off my book.

"Don't think you can keep it all quiet anymore," Mandy stated lowly. "Don't forget, I know your secret now, Little Miss Eyebrows."

"Mm..." I conceded, not really giving a fuck; then I swallowed and looked at them expectantly. "Are you done?"

When their cocky attitudes dissolved, I rolled my eyes and went back to reading.

"Don't ignore us!" Lilith shrieked, jabbing a finger at me. "Look at me! Hey!"

As if that would work.

Still, even though I continued trying to read my book, by the time I was done eating... it was getting to be extremely difficult to focus. Their persistence had already given me a mild migraine. It was driving me nuts—not because of the insults and threats themselves, but because their voices were like never ending whines that became harder and harder to tune out. Before I knew it, they were bothering me greatly. Sort of like fruit flies that kept buzzing around my head and wouldn't leave me alone.

After another ten minutes, I finally looked up in irritation.

"Seriously, is there a point to this?" I finally asked, looking up at them with a frown. "Why are you harassing me?"

"So you don't get any ideas on your popularity status," Lilith retorted, smiling sweetly with long-lashed eyes. "You're one of the nerds, remember? Just because you got your nasty eyebrows plucked doesn't mean you're popular now. So don't get cocky!"

"I don't exactly need to," I deadpanned, giving her a half-lidded stare. "You've got enough cockiness to last the whole school, hon."

When Lilith's face turned red, Mandy stepped forward and casually leaned against the table.

"So," she casually inquired, looking at her fingernails. "How many people know you're a Metahuman? Huh, Sally?"

I closed my book with a snap and glared at her, blowing an annoying strand of hair out of my eyes.

"I don't know what you're implying, Amanda, but whatever it is... it doesn't make sense," I grumbled irritably, giving her an extremely cold expression. "Thank you oh-so-much for all the generous concern, but I'm NOT a Metahuman, so there's no point in attempting to blackmail me into doing what you want. May I read my book in peace now, please? You're giving me a migraine."

"Leave you alone? Tee-hee, that's so funny!" Lilith giggled, touching her lip with a smile. "I suggest that you don't hang around after school today or you'll have to buy a new face at that trailer-trash thrift store. You know, the one you're always hanging out in?"

I raised my eyebrows with a disbelieving look before giving Mandy a frown.

She was smirking, but she was looking at her fingernails once again.

"For one thing," I stated kindly, giving her a smile, "Mandy was actually the one who introduced me to the place. For another, I don't go there anymore because I actually valued our friendship. I guess I was the only one, though: she cut ties with me over a mishap caused by a particularly nasty prank _she_ pulled on _me_. Oh, which reminds me: be careful around her things, Lilith. Who knows...? If you accidentally stain her carpet or get your lipstick on her purse, she might turn on you, too. After all, that's how two-faced bitches generally roll, right?"

When their eyes darkened and Mandy's face flushed, I smirked and nodded, as if to say, 'see? I can do it, too.'

I probably should have ignored them; that would have been the safest thing to do. But they looked so mean and patronizing that I couldn't just sit there and take their insults passively anymore. Especially since Mandy was bringing up the past in an attempt to get at me. I guess she hadn't expected me to do the same, but you know what?

Two people can play the bitch card.

"At least I don't snitch on my friends," she snarled, looking at me with fury in her eyes. "Go buy some clothes from that thrift store, hoe. You look ratchet as fuck."

I looked down at my school uniform with a quirked eyebrow, feeling highly amused.

"Well, considering you're wearing the same thing, I guess you really didn't consider the fact that you just insulted yourself," I drawled, planting my chin on my hands and giving her a sly look. "And while I admit that I _could_ use a couple of cute new outfits, YOU obviously have needs that a thrift store can't meet, Mandy. Especially what with your girdle issues."

Mandy's mouth dropped open in astonishment and she turned crimson when Lilith stared at her, giving her an odd look.

The Hispanic girl shut her mouth after a moment and glared at me, narrowing her eyes.

"You might want to check them out yourself, skank, since it seems you're packing on pounds," she hissed, slamming her hands down on the table. "I know what I saw when you were swimming, Sally Beth... your eyes were glowing bright blue. And everyone knows that glowing eyes are one of the signs of a Metahuman. It's disgusting, and it goes against the Bible."

I blinked upon hearing that, immediately doing a double take.

I had been born and raised in a Church-Mongering Catholic Family, so I knew EVERY scripture like the back of my hand.

And the words that had just come out of her mouth were total bullshit.

Literally.

"Oh, really?" I demanded, feeling a wave of rage rising into my throat. "And what about having supernatural abilities goes against the Bible, Mandy? The people who have them probably didn't want them in the first place!"

"Using their powers to steal things from people!" the Hispanic girl retorted. "That's totally against the Bible, and everyone knows it!"

"Oh, yeah? Which part of the Bible says that? What verse?" I snapped angrily, teal eyes flashing. "Enlighten me, please, because I know all three versions of the Bible _and_ their verses like the back of my hand! I'm kind of interested to hear what you have to say."

"Uh, like, the entire thing?" Lilith piously intervened. "Metahumans are like false American idols who try to sing and end up sounding like shit, or whatever."

I blinked and tilted my head to the side, feeling totally lost by her analogy.

"Huh?" I blankly drawled, staring at her as though she were nuts. "Um... if you think that made sense, you're wrong."

Lilith's response momentarily made me wonder if the rumors about blondes being the stupid ones were wrong... in reality, it seemed as though darker-complected women had a lower intelligence most of the time. But hey, that's just my own opinion.

"Whatever! The fact of the matter is simple: you don't fit in here, Eyebrows, and you never will." Mandy condescendingly snapped, leaning close to my face. "We're the queen bees! We can make your life hell if we want to, and nobody will do anything to stop us! I mean, who would help you?! You're nothing but a joke at this school, so you should move away or transfer to some hippie granola school that takes welfare cases!"

"And miss welcoming you back to school after you're recovering from your liposuction? Oh, Mandy, I just couldn't," I sweetly replied, smiling at her with an equally irritable expression. "You'd be too lonely without me since surgery is SO last season!"

Mandy's tan-skinned face took on a dark purple tinge and her eyes bulged in anger.

"I'm going to make it my personal business that everyone knows you're a freak," she hissed nastily, making me blink, "because when people know the truth, they're not going to tolerate a villain like you staying at this school. You'll be an outcast: you and your ugly little friends will be the laughing stock of the century."

"Once we do, even the Titans won't help you!" Lilith added, smiling at me in a nasty manner. "They don't like freaks, either."

And that—as the 'hippies' say—was the straw that broke the camel's back. I could handle people taking their own insecurities out on me, but when they decided to start taking it out on people I care about… well, that's when I get angry. I calmly set my closed book on the table and slowly stood up, never taking my eyes off of theirs.

Both girls were laughing at me like hyenas.

"Both of you seem awfully sure that I'm a Metahuman," I said in a slow, extremely dangerous tone; both girls instantly stopped laughing. "Cut the crap about the Bible and stick with facts: what if I really do have some sort of strange ability? Am I really the kind of person you want to be messing with?"

Both of them stared at me, suddenly looking rather uneasy: likewise, the cafeteria was so silent that you could have heard a pin drop.

Everyone was staring at us, looking tensely back and forth.

"Really, quit bluffing," Mandy snorted, although she did look a bit uneasy. "You'd never hurt a fly. You're too scared."

"Oh? But how can you be sure that my supposed supernatural gift isn't dangerous?" I inquired, planting a hand on my hip and staring at them with a cold expression. "Do you want to test me? Do you want to take the two percent risk that I can do what you're saying I can do? Because If I really can, girls, you will be in a WHOLE lot of trouble! Perhaps I could conjure up a wall of fire? Or maybe I could even arrange for something ugly and demonic to start harassing you whenever you're alone!"

"Tch, you liar!" Lilith scoffed, flapping a hand. "You're just bluffing about having powers!"

"Maybe," I replied, tossing my hair with fierce teal eyes, "but you seemed SO certain that I had them a few minutes ago! Want to try and test it? Want to see? It might prove to be fake, like you just said—or you girls might end up in a whole lot of trouble. Haven't you ever wondered why the Titans fight these Metahumans or whatever? It's because once you mess with one of them, no plastic surgeon in the world will be able to fix you afterwards if nobody comes to save you."

I finished my speech and watched with satisfaction as matching nervous expressions began creeping onto the faces of the two girls.

"You're… you're such a lying little bitch!" Mandy stammered uneasily, glaring at me with a vengeance. "You're gonna get yourself wrecked, Sally Beth! Just you wait! And all of us are going to watch and laugh!"

"Yeah!" Lilith added, still pale. "And once that's over with, your little friends are next."

"Amber and Sarah don't have anything to do with this," I snapped, going rigid with rage. "Leave them out of it!"

"Ooh! Looks like you hit a nerve!" Mandy sneered nastily. "Why don't we add an ass-kicking to the lot?"

I could feel my expression darkening with hatred as a chilling flicker of power sleepily stirred inside my body. It was invigorating, yet it felt deadly at the same time—and I reveled in the dangerously powerful feeling. All of a sudden, the room darkened immensely and that same glowing blue haze obscured my vision: Lilith Jones and Mandy Mendez gasped simultaneously and leapt away, staring at my face with huge eyes before glancing at the cafeteria windows.

All across the sky, which had been clear not even two minutes ago, clouds were moving in at an impossible rate and forming out of nothing. Slowly stepping forward, I closed my eyes to hide my irises and snatched Mandy's plain black necktie: taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down until the haze behind my vision had faded. When I opened my eyes, the light in the room was back to normal and the clouds outside were fading away.

"You lay so much as a finger on my friends," I stated calmly, giving Mandy a firm stare, "and I swear to you that I'll knock every single one of your teeth out, break both of your arms, and snap every bone in your legs so badly that you'll never walk again. And to add a sweet amount of icing to the cake, I'll pull that red thong you're always wearing so far over your fucking head that it'll take years for a surgeon to cut it out of your ass!"

"Get off me, freak!" she spat, mouth trembling with fear and anger. "I saw your eyes! They just did it again! They were glowing!"

"Who's gonna believe you?" I retorted, giving her a cold expression. "Nobody else aside from you and Lilith saw it. Mark my words, Amanda: if you so much as go near my friends, I'll make you regret the moment you ever met me. And I won't need supernatural abilities to do it, either."

"Tch, you and what army?" Lilith scoffed in amusement. "You don't look like you could hurt a fly. You're too skinny."

"You don't need an army to take out an army, smart one," I retorted cryptically, letting go of Mandy's tie and gathering my things with a huff of irritation. "And didn't your mother ever teach you not to judge a book by it's cover?"

"For a girl who hasn't talked to anyone else until today," the Hispanic girl muttered, "you sure have a big mouth."

"Yeah, actually I do!" I retorted, flashing her a huge, dazzling, dangerous grin of defiance. "And you'd better watch it because I have a mean right hook to go with it!"

"Um... excuse me, but is there a problem here?" a pleasantly light, feminine voice inquired. "I... kinda noticed the tense atmosphere."

I felt my heart sighing in relief and turned to look Sarah, who'd seemingly appeared out of thin air with her lunch tray.

"Butt out, Collins: this doesn't concern you," Mandy snapped, then turned her glare on me. "Better hope you can keep your act going, freak, because I'm gonna be hounding you until I get some proof."

Thus, as if by some unspoken command, the Queen Bees walked away like two fashionable mean girls, sauntering through the crowded cafeteria as though they owned the place. The moment they turned to walk away, however, the icy power inside of me went out like a candle and I let out an exhausted sigh. I collapsed back on the seat and closed my eyes for a moment, rubbing my throbbing temples with a soft groan.

When the pain in my head finally started lessening a little, I took the opportunity to look at Sarah.

"Thanks," I murmured, giving her a weak smile. "I was beginning to think that they wouldn't go away until lunch ended."

"No problem! What did they want, though?" she whispered, sitting down and staring at me worriedly. "When I came in, it looked like you guys were about to have a cat fight!"

"It was nothing," I mumbled, shaking my head. "Just them being idiots."

Sarah stared at me.

"Are you all right?" she asked worriedly. "I didn't get the chance to say so earlier, but Sally... you don't look so good…"

"I'm fine," I murmured, staring at the window and wondering about the clouds I'd seen. "I think."

That was what had me worried: I didn't really know if I was fine.

One thing I did know, though, was that I had to be more careful.

I somehow had a very odd feeling that if I lost my temper, something would happen.

And whatever it was would not be nice.


	11. Chapter 10: Dark Horizon

**Author's Note: **sorry for the major delays on my writing. Both of my computers crashed one after the other, so it's been hectic these last few months. I'll try to keep up to speed, and there will be updates for ALL of my stories sometime soon, so stay tuned.

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Dark Horizon**

I was silent for the rest of the day.

Not that this was anything new, mind you, but this time... I was silent because I was actually kind of scared.

You see, after lunch had ended, the reality of what I had so stupidly done had actually hit me pretty hard: revealing my strange new abilities to a couple of bullies was stupid, if not utterly crazy, especially considering how badly metahumans were treated by regular people. Even back in Oklahoma, my family and I had heard rumours of the metagenes popping up all over the place in random people. Sadly, I didn't know much about it aside from the fact that it had been a huge deal back in the 1930's.

And I only knew that much because of a random Google search a few years ago.

A lot of details concerning the present-day metagene crisises were kept under wraps, and since a lot of people liked to pretend nothing out of the ordinary was happening even though it oh-so obviously was, it was practically impossible for me to get info about it.

Trust me, I had tried.

And yet, despite the fact that losing my cool had been a stupid move... for some reason, it woke me up for the first time.

You see, it wasn't until after I had nearly lost my temper that I'd realized this was all really happening. It hadn't hit me until that very moment, when Lilith and Mandy had turned to walk away, that my 'cool' wind powers or whatever could be dangerous. Mostly because it had all felt surreal... even when I'd lost my composure with the Queen Bees, I'd been addled with the realization that I had more to me than others. I'd felt empowered in comparison to them, which had given me that boost of confidence.

Which wasn't good at all, since most movies where someone abuses any sort of power in the beginning usually ends with he or she being the bad guy.

Even if they weren't bad to begin with.

A few hours ago I had been dazed and somewhat elated by my supposed gift.

Now?

Now I was caught in the 'oh, fuck!' stage, since I had absolutely NO clue how to handle it, or even how it worked.

This was a serious situation.

A VERY serious one.

And that's why, by the time school ended and I got on the bus, I was a silently shivering wreck.

Still, sitting next to Sarah was doing a good job of soothing my panicky worries: she was currently engrossed in a book about animals, humming a little song that only she could know. Even though I hadn't spoken, I genuinely wanted to: she was the most understanding person I knew aside from Amber and Miss Figgins. And I think, out of everyone... she would have understood it the best. She was sitting so close to me... so close that I could almost feel her warmth on my shoulder.

And yet... she was so far away.

In truth, the reason I said anything at all was fear. I was scared.

With good cause, too.

"Sarah?" I suddenly murmured, turning my head and swallowing when she glanced up at me. "S-Sarah..."

"Yes?" she asked, smiling a little. "What is it, Sally?"

My mouth opened and closed.

"Do you think the biology test coming up will be difficult...?" I weakly asked, chickening out with a violent shiver. "I heard someone say that it's going to be super hard, even when compared to Mrs. Johnson's calculus exams."

"Gosh, I hope not!" Sarah gushed, eagerly latching onto the opportunity to converse with me; I felt a twinge of guilt flood through me, since I know I'd worried her with my distant behavior. She had been throwing worried glances at me ever since the lunch hour had ended. "Still, even if it is, there's nothing studying can't accomplish."

"I guess so," I sighed, looking out the window. "Math and science really hate me. I always get mixed up with the changing letters in algebra."

"Yeah, I do, too," Sarah sighed, looking at her book; then her eyes brightened and she beamed at me. "Hey! I just got a good idea!"

I glanced at her, quirking an eyebrow.

"Do tell," I drawled, letting out a sigh.

"Well, why don't you, me, and Amber form a study group?" Sarah suggested, giving me an eager look. "That way she can catch up on today's work, and we can help you feel confident about the test!"

I blinked, considering it with a thoughtful guise.

I was mildly amazed to realize I liked the idea.

"Actually, that sounds kinda awesome, Sarah... thanks," I sighed, giving the blonde girl a surprised expression. "You had plans to stop by anyway since Amber stayed back sick, right?"

"Yeah, but I honestly think she was playing hooky," the blonde girl sighed, hooking a strand of hair behind her ear when the bus jolted. "Or, as she puts it, taking a mental health day."

"I guess we all need a break once in a while," I muttered, shrugging when Sarah giggled and nodded; however, just before she looked down at her book again, a terrible ache assaulted my heart and I clenched my fists. "Um, hey... I... today at lunch, when Lilith and Mandy were harassing me... I... um..."

"Yes?" Sarah asked, blinking at me with an eager smile. "What is it?"

I sat there for a long moment, trying to figure out what I wanted to say in order to make the tightness in my heart go away. I opened my mouth, as if I were going to speak, but then I closed it again and lowered my eyes: not long after, a defeated feeling sank into my core, heavy and unpleasant. Shaking my head, I gave her a long look: she frowned with worry when I stared at her for several moments of silence.

Trying to convey a message that would most likely never get through.

High above, clouds began to form out of nowhere, obscuring the beautiful plains of blue with a veil of gentle gray.

"Are you okay?" Sarah finally asked, closing her book with a sigh. "I've wanted to ask multiple times since you look like something's worrying you, but until this point, I figured you had whatever's going on totally covered. Sally, look... I'm your friend, right? Just tell me what the problem is."

And that right there is what did it.

My shivers increased and I hugged myself, feeling panicky.

"Sarah..." I whispered, swallowing hard. "Help me."

She blinked, not processing the extent of my request.

"Okay..." she coaxed, rubbing my shoulder. "Off to a good start, at least. What do you need help with?"

By way of answering, I merely lifted my eyes and looked at her: while she'd been talking, the blue haze had come back.

My eyes were glowing, radiating luminescence from the inside out, and it scared me.

It apparently startled her, too, since her eyes widened and she froze.

"What... the heck?" she whispered, staring straight at my eyes with a blank expression. "Ooookay... was NOT expecting this."

"What do I do?" I whispered, shivering and squeezing my eyes shut to hide it. "It started happening to me a few days before we first spoke, and now it's getting harder to stop. Please, Sarah, help me! I'm scared!"

"Oh, dear..." she murmured, hastily looking around at the other students on the bus before looking at me. "Sally... this is serious. Glowing eyes are a really big sign that you have a metahuman gene."

"And what in the name of God's Green Earth is that supposed to mean?!" I hissed back, giving her a nervous look. "I've gone through every history book AND science book the school has to offer, but I couldn't find a single shred of information on what a metagene actually is!"

Sarah bit her lip.

"Um, okay," she sighed, thinking on it. "Look, have you developed any strange abilities? Like, levitation or maybe just something out of the blue?"

I blinked, feeling my chest tightening.

"I... can control the wind, I think," I hesitantly explained, sighing in relief when the haze behind my vision began to fade. "The other day in the park, I made a bunch of dust devils spring up out of nowhere, and I've done like a hundred tests just to make sure I'm not going nuts. I'm still tripping over it, but... how is this possible?! Like, it's pretty damn cool, but scary at the same time. I don't know if I want it."

"The wind?" Sarah asked, eyes widening with wonder. "Wow! I figured it'd be something like ice, since you're always shivering."

I snorted.

"Yeah, no... thank God it's not ice," I muttered, shuddering violently at the thought. "I'm happy with just the wind, thanks."

"Oh, but Sally, ice is awesome!" Sarah sighed, then gave me a playful look and sang, "do you wanna build a snowman?"

I snorted a second time, then sarcastically sang my retort.

"Let it go... let it go..." I warned, scowling when she burst into laughter. "Ugh... so corny."

"You know you love it," Sarah cackled. "In fact, maybe we should call you Elsa since you seem a little 'frozen' inside."

I gave her a deadpan expression.

"Really?" I drawled, sighing when she laughed even harder. "Ugh... not cool. I'm trying to be serious here."

"Sally, look... the joking is my way of saying your secret is safe," Sarah stated seriously, clasping my hand with firm eyes. "It doesn't really bother me... it's just, I only wish you'd have opened up to me sooner. Bottling things up isn't good, so if you're having problems, talk to me. Okay? We're friends for a reason, and trust is a key point in any sort of relationship you might have in the future."

Her words, corny as it sounds, almost warmed me from the inside out.

Almost.

Even so, I felt relief flooding through me, and high above, the clouds began to dissipate.

"Yeah," I sighed, nodding with a small smile. "Thank you."

"No problem," Sarah sighed, then looked at the ground. "Still, for Amber's sake, I have to ask. Do you want to tell her or not?"

I swallowed, thinking about it.

"I'd rather not," I reluctantly murmured. "It's not that I don't trust her, but the fewer people who know about this, the better. Especially since Lilith and Amanda caught a glimpse of my eyes doing the freaky glowing thing today at lunch."

Sarah's eyes instantly widened.

"No wonder you all looked so tense," she whispered, then clutched my arm. "Okay, we need a plan. Let's come up with something together."

"Um, what are you talking about?" I demanded, feeling confused. "I thought keeping my... whatever it is hidden from everyone WAS the plan."

"That's not a plan, Sally, and even if it was it wouldn't be a very smart one. Especially if we're gonna be thinking about this long-term," Sarah countered, closing her book and giving me a worried expression. "We need a real plan just in case things go wrong."

"Well, if it were that easy to come up with one, I wouldn't be this freaked," I explained, shivering and huddling down in a futile attempt to get warm. "I have absolutely no idea what to do about this."

Sarah sighed, giving me a disbelieving glance.

"The answer is right in front of you, though," the blonde girl murmured. "Don't you remember? Raven herself came to talk to you! She knew you had some sort of power, so she probably came to see if she could help you! Sally, you need to talk to the Teen Titans."

I blinked in surprise when I remembered the encounter I'd had with the hooded girl, but then a shiver ran down my spine.

She hadn't come to help me, she'd come because she'd thought I was a threat to her.

I could still see the animosity that had been on her face from within my mind's eye.

"No, no, and no again," I instantly stammered, shuddering violently at the thought. "I'm not going anywhere near that girl!"

"Why not?" Sarah scoffed, mouth dropping open. "They know more about metagenes than anyone else in the city! The Titans could help you, Sally!"

"Not if they think I'm a threat," I grimly countered. "I met that Raven girl twice before she showed up at school, but HOW I met her was weird."

"What do you mean?" my friend inquired, swaying when the bus jolted. "You met Raven before she came to talk to you at school? When? And where?"

"Well, as strange as this is gonna sound, I think it was in a dream," I hesitantly murmured, swallowing as I thought about it. "The first time I ever saw her was right after I stuck my hand in the kitchen fireplace, but -"

"Hold up, you did WHAT?!" Sarah squealed, eyes widening in horror; she instantly grabbed my hands and looked at them worriedly. "Sally, are you nuts?! Why would you stick your hand in a fireplace?!"

"I was cold, just like I am now," I stated simply, ignoring how she gawked. "That's not the point, though. The point is, when I stuck my hand in the fire, instead of actually getting burned... some sort of shadow exploded from it and dragged me into this weird dream land with a whole bunch of girls who all looked exactly like Raven. It was so weird... they all had different-colored cloaks, and they all acted totally different."

"That sounds like a cool dream," Sarah giggled, smiling a little, "but Raven has never been seen wearing anything but blue."

"Even if that's the case, it doesn't change the fact that I saw her," I explained, shaking my head. "There's more, though... the next two times I had that dream, I saw what I think was the REAL Raven. She told me in the dream that it wasn't a dream at all, and that I... er..."

When I uncomfortably trailed off, Sarah urged me with her eyes.

"Go on," she coaxed. "I'm listening."

"Don't laugh, okay?" I grumbled, letting out a sigh. "She said I had somehow ended up iinside her mind."

Sarah stared at me.

"Her mind," the blonde girl slowly repeated, furrowing her brows. "I don't get it. How does that even work?"

"Beats the hell out of me," I snorted, shrugging. "I still don't know what happened or even HOW it did, but apparently it might have been a very real experience. After she flipped out on me, she did something that made my head fuzzy. Then she started mumbling something about our school."

"Murakami Academy?" the blonde asked, eyebrows lifting. "What did she say?"

"That something didn't feel right, and that I had better stay out of her mind since she'd be seeing me soon anyway," I replied honestly, shivering. " I might have blown it off as just a weird set of dreams or hallucinations, but not long after that, she showed up at school. And that is precisely why I can't ask the Titans for anything. That Raven girl already hates me, and if I show up asking for help, she'll think we lied to her. She might... hurt me."

Sarah swallowed, then looked away.

"Yeah, after taking that into account, maybe it's not such a good idea after all," Sarah mumbled. "But what'll we do?"

"We'll figure something out," I sighed, setting my head against the bus window and closing my eyes. "And hey, if worst comes to worst, we can always tell Amber about my problem. She'd probably be a big help, but right now, I don't want to say anything just yet."

"Well, okay," Sarah finally agreed, nodding before she opened her book again. "I've got your back, Sally... don't worry."

After that, I decided to close my eyes... I felt relieved in so many ways, and since we were halfway to our stop, I figured a quick catnap wouldn't hurt.

Especially since the bus to go home was on a different delivery schedule than the one that picked up me and the other orphans.

I had just started to relax, however, when a strange feeling swept through my head: a strange, unfamiliar prickle like a cold finger drawing against skin.

And then a voice, a familiar one at that, rang in my ears... clear as a bell.

_'Mommy... help me...'_

"Huh?" I whispered, eyes snapping open wide before I froze with my head against the window. "Who said that?"

"Huh?" Sarah asked, not looking up from her book. "Who said what?"

"I... I just heard a voice," I stammered. "And... I actually recognize it! Was that... Tyler...?"

"Tyler?" she questioned, glancing at me when I sat up and touched my forehead with an uneasy expression on my face. "Who's Tyler?"

"A little kid I met at the park on the day I created those dust devils," I explained, feeling gooseflesh rising on my arms. "He's a metahuman."

I didn't know why, but it felt as though my stomach were knotting up and the sensation was rapidly growing more intense.

Without knowing why I wanted to, I slowly looked around the bus.

Sarah looked extremely confused by my actions... but then her gaze shifted past my face and she froze like a marble statue.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, covering her mouth. "Sally... look!"

I immediately turned around... then my eyes snapped open wide.

"What the hell?!" I whispered, straightening up and staring at the sight in front of me with a horrified expression. "No way!"

I couldn't even believe what I was seeing, and I guessed that neither could Sarah.

Down in the middle of a graveyard's parking lot was a circle of people who were covered in blinding flames: they were all flailing around and obviously in pain. In the middle of them sat a familiar little boy with black hair: he was holding his head with both hands and repeatedly hitting himself. I immediately stood up and stared at him when a jolt of terror seared through my body, and before I even realized what was happening, the boy outside turned around.

I felt my throat locking up when he looked at the bus we were sitting in... but then a jolt of ice swept through my gut.

He wasn't looking at the bus... he was looking at _me,_ and only me.

Eyes full of terror and tears, he lifted his hand and lunged in my direction, screaming something I couldn't hear.

"Stop the bus!" I finally shrieked, bolting out into the isle and sprinting past my classmates. "Please, stop the bus!"

"We're almost to the next stop," the driver stated calmly, not taking his eyes off the road. "Please, return to your seat and wait patiently for the bus to—"

"People are being burned alive over there by a little boy who can't control his abilities!" I screeched, clutching the man's arm. "We have to help them! Hurry up and pull over!"

"I'm sorry," the man sighed, "but I just can't—"

Before he could finish the sentence, I angrily grabbed the wheel and jerked it to the side, forcing him to stomp on the brakes.

Just like that, I was practically thrown off my feet; my long hair flew forward when I slammed into the dashboard.

Several of the kids still sitting on the bus screamed.

"Are you crazy?!" he roared, glaring at me. "You could have caused an accident!"

"Where is your humanity?" I coldly inquired, making him frown. "Open the doors. I'm getting off right here."

"Ditto!" Sarah cried, grabbing her things and hastily running down the aisle. "I'm getting off now!"

When he angrily opened the doors, I nodded and darted down the stairs of the bus, hurrying into the road and sprinting down the street towards the spot I had seen Tyler losing it. Sarah was close behind me, but when we got to the spot I had seen everything happening in... my blood ran cold.

Tyler Babbowitz was engulfed in blinding white flames, and several people were lying burned and unconscious on the ground around him.

"Tyler!" I cried, eyes huge with horror. "What's happening?!"

He instantly turned his head, stretching out his hand.

"Help me!" he wailed, bursting into tears. "Help me! I don't know how to make it stop!"

"Oh, God..." I muttered, swallowing before I glanced at Sarah, who was staring at the scene with huge eyes. "Any ideas?"

"None that would help," she stammered, giving me a serious look. "It'll take more than a bucket of water to put out that fire, trust me."

Biting my lip, I danced from foot to foot, trying to avoid the inevitable.

But that was impossible BECAUSE it was inevitable.

Still, could I pull it off? I had only seen it in movies, after all...

"HELP ME!" Tyler shrieked, clutching his head in agony. "It hurts!"

"Fuck it," I whispered, closing my eyes with a sigh. "Sarah!"

"Y-yes?" she squeaked, eyes wide and attentive. "What is it?"

"Stay behind me and don't move," I shakily commanded, swallowing hard. "This might be a big mistake."

Thus, after taking a deep breath, I envisioned a whirlwind and felt my entire body prickle with a desire to make it happen. My eyes snapped open and I gasped in shock as the breath rushed out of my lungs, and they widened even further when the sky above exploded with dark clouds that stretched outwards towards the horizon. The frothing clouds obscured every shade of blue across the sky: then the storm began to rotate.

The blue haze took over my vision soon after.

_Here we go,_ I silently whispered, staring up at the sky with what I assumed were glowing eyes._ I guess it's time to test my limit... God, give me Strength._

Feeling suddenly calm, I tilted my head back and stared at the epicenter of the storm, feeling my whole body beginning to sway in a circular manner as my eyes skimmed around in circles. My hair fanned out with static as I slowly lifted my arms, seeming to be calling to the heavens: then, I felt it. That same unbearable pressure that made my ears pop: behind me, Sarah let out a cry and clamped both hands to her head.

I let out a sigh as warmth seeped into me... then I gave into my power and just... let it go.

Within seconds, the sky whirled itself apart and the tempest came down.

"Tyler!" I thundered, making him flinch and look at me in terror. "Cover your eyes and put your head down, right now!"

He did as he was told not a moment too soon.

The second he pressed his flaming forehead against the melted concrete, the twister engulfed him. Sarah shrieked behind me, but I was too focused on keeping the storm going to pay attention: apparently, getting it started was the easy part, but controlling it afterwards was another story entirely. It was like trying to pin down a tiger with my bare hands: the storm was now like an individual power... a force so wild and terrible that it was very nearly impossible for me to reign in.

Regardless, I felt my hopes skyrocketing when the fire surrounding the little boy's body slowly began to recede.

_Just a bit more..._ I silently panted, sweating as the expulsion of energy began to take its toll. _Just hold on, kiddo... I'm trying... I can do this._

I fought to keep going, straining the ice inside me to keep control of the storm.

My curly hair and navy blue skirt were violently being tossed around: the wind was so intense that I could barely keep my eyes open.

Behind me, Sarah was sitting on the ground, platinum blonde hair blasted back by the wind. Her sky blue eyes were huge, and she could only stare in sheer awe at the skinny rope of wind that had connected the distant sky above to the ground not even ten feet away from me. Lightning flashed above us, illuminating the roaring whirlwind from inside out. The tornado was a small one... so small that it probably couldn't even be considered a true F1.

And yet, it was still frightening: standing there, I felt my heart beat slowing down, watching as my attempt to save Tyler took hold.

The fire slowly began to go out, revealing that the little boy was nude.

"Almost... there..." I panted, muscles shaking violently; spots began to obstruct my vision, making me feel lightheaded. "Almost..."

I had it: the fire was finally out.

However, my knees buckled just as the last of the flames burned out and I lost control of the whirlwind.

The twister instantly slipped out of my control, but instead of dissipating, it kept going: I watched with heavy eyelids as it roared off into the city, struggling to catch it with my leaden arm outstretched. I could see debris being thrown around, but for the most part, the little F1 tornado seemed to be dissipating rapidly. After it finally dissolved, I turned my attention to Tyler: the little boy still hadn't moved.

Slowly crawling forward with limbs that felt dead, I managed to turn him over and pressed my ear against his small chest when I saw that his eyes were closed. A steady heartbeat throbbed against my temple, making relief flood through me like a cool waterfwall: slowly turning around, I grinned at Sarah with unsteady movements, feeling totally amazed by my accomplishment.

"He's okay, Sarah!" I croaked, feeling abnormally weak for some reason: even as I said it, the world spun and I fell over on my side. "He's... okay..."

"Sally!" a muffled voice cried. "Sally, are you all right?!"

I couldn't answer... hell, I could barely even hear past the ringing in my ears.

Everything was going blurry... fading away into meshes of color.

Color that soon turned dark like the horizon on a stormy afternoon.

Just before I blacked out, though, I could have sworn that I saw a flash of blue that had absolutely nothing to do with the clearing sky.

But hey, not long after that, I was out, so who cared?


	12. Chapter 11: Thundering Reality

**Chapter Eleven: Thundering Reality  
**

My ears started ringing the moment a spark of consciousness touched my mind.

I slowly began to feel as though I were emerging from a dark ocean: my eyes fluttered a little and I swallowed hard since my head began throbbing violently as I slowly swam into awareness. A muffled voice began to pound in my ringing ears as I became more aware of the omnipresent darkness. However, the void I was stuck soon began spinning like a terrifying carnival ride.

It made me feel sick with vertigo.

I had to open my eyes.

I had to escape before the ocean of shadow within my own mind spiraled up and swallowed me again.

I struggled to wake up, fighting desperately to tumble into the light from the spinning shadows.

Then, with a jolt, my eyes flew open wide: silent tears began streaming down my cheeks, landing on the soft legs cushioning my head. It was around that moment that my hearing suddenly came back. For some reason, it honestly felt as though cotton had been pulled out of my ears. Not long after that, I quickly became aware of everything as full consciousness started to descend on me.

However, even though my eyes were open, it still took a few minutes before I could actually see anything.

My brain was so muddy that it wasn't able to make sense of anything my eyes were taking in.

"Sally?" a familiar voice croaked. "Sally, can you hear me?"

Slowly, I moved my eyes: Sarah's pale, frightened face was resting directly above my own.

"Sarah?" I mumbled, blinking slowly as I tried to process what was going on. "What... what happened?"

"Oh, thank God!" she cried, instantly covering her mouth with watering eyes. "Thank God you're all right! I thought you would never wake up!"

"Huh?" I muttered, blinking at her in confusion."What...?"

Slowly turning my head, I blinked again when I realized we were resting on a city bench.

Lying unconscious directly on top of me, with my very own blazer covering up his nudity, was none other than Tyler Babbowitz.

The moment my mind cleared up enough to realize something was wrong, I struggled to sit up only to be swamped by a wave of dizziness that put me back down on Sarah's legs. I frowned a little in confusion when I tried to remember what had happened... everything was completely fuzzy for some reason. Even so, I clutched my aching head and struggled to remember why I was lying with my head on Sarah's lap.

For some reason, the situation didn't feel right.

"Sarah..." I grumbled, finally giving up. "What the hell just happened?"

She twitched and stared at me.

"You don't remember?!" the blonde girl whispered. "Sally... you... you made a tornado! Like... it was unbelievable! You said you could control the wind, but honest to God, I think you were wrong! It looked more like you were controlling the WEATHER than the wind!"

A jolt of fright suddenly swept through me, and my heart started skipping beats without warning.

"The weather?!" I squeaked, eyes widening in shock. "No way! Wrong!"

"Um, hello?" Sarah hissed, flailing her arms before gesturing at Tyler. "A tornado just touched down right on top of a little boy in the middle of a coastal California City without leaving so much as a scratch on his body! There are more things that make up the weather than just wind, Sally, and I can tell you right now: that sure as HELL wasn't a dust devil! Small as it was, that thing was a twister!"

"What are you saying...?" I whispered, eyes going blank when flashes of the whirlwind engulfing Tyler seared across my eyes. "No way... there's no way in hell I can control the weather! I mean, think about it... if I can control the weather, then..."

My eyes went blank when my mind connected the dots and finished then sentence for me.

_'It would all make sense.'_

The reality of it hit me like a bolt of lightning: if I had control over the weather, everything would have made sense.

From the strange storms that had been springing up over the years, to the constant chilling rain that had seemed to follow me, even when I'd been moved from place to place... it all seemed to make sense with that one explanation. Then, another realization hit me, making my blood run so cold that I couldn't even breathe: if I could control the weather, had the tornado that had touched down in Sarah's neighborhood been my fault?

I wanted to believe that it hadn't been.

But the odds didn't really seem to be in my favor.

_It can't be, _I silently panicked, feeling a lump rising up my throat. _I can't be the reason why! It's impossible, right?_

However, that's when another thought ripped through me, nearly shredding my sanity to pieces.

My pupils dilated and my face turned bone white in an instant: the shock of what I had just wondered had frozen me.

In that moment, I couldn't talk, I couldn't blink... I couldn't think, breathe, or move... but I could hear.

It began with just a numb ringing in my ears, but then it grew into something more.

Something terrible.

I could hear the wind roaring in my ears, muffling the screams of people I held so dear that it hurt to even remember them.

I could hear the sirens, the thunder, the shredding metal and wood.

Most of all, though, I could _see:_ flashes of lightning and disjointed images as the thundering cyclone of death destroyed everything I had once loved.

When the visions passed, I was blanketed in an icy sweat and I could barely force my jaw open.

"Sarah...?" I finally whispered, feeling my heart rising up my throat. "If I can control the weather,wouldn't that mean I'm the reason my... family is...?"

I couldn't even say it: my throat tightened so much that the word wouldn't come.

It hurt.

However, Sarah's face went slack and she gasped, fervently shaking her head.

"Of course not!" the blonde girl fervently explained. "Sally, no! That storm wasn't your fault, okay? Moore, Oklahoma has its own reputation for being a tornado magnet! It couldn't have been your fault, because tornadoes have been hitting that particular town since before you were born!"

"But... but..." I stammered, shuddering violently with terror, "what about the tornado that hit your neighborhood?! That could have been my fault!"

"Even if it _was_ a result of your abilities, it obviously wasn't on purpose, and nobody was seriously hurt," Sally scolded, setting a hand on my head. "It wasn't your fault, Sally! So don't think it was even for a second!"

However, I knew she was wrong.

Deep down inside, I knew. I just knew I had done it.

Everything that had happened finally made sense.

Everything.

It was all because of me.

And even if Sarah believed it wasn't intentional, it wouldn't look that way to anyone else if they discovered the truth behind what I could do.

If Lilith and Amanda managed to convince people I was a metahuman, I could very likely be turned into a criminal as a result.

I could be thrown in jail or worse.

I instantly felt my heart skip another beat, and all of a sudden… I felt like I was going to pass out again from the fright.

My vision filled with spots and a rushing noise filled my ears.

"Sally!" Sarah snapped, patting my cheek. "Calm down and breathe! Focus!"

It was around that moment when I realized I had practically been hyperventilating.

Feeling like I was going to burst into tears, I covered my eyes with shaking arms... but when the wind picked up and a cold shadow fell across me, I pulled them back and stared at the sky. I instantly felt my stomach lurch and twitched violently, clutching her shirt in terror: high above, clouds were beginning to form out of nothing, slowly expanding in a circular manner. The point of origin was directly above us, too.

Sarah was right. I really needed to calm down.

After taking a few deep breaths and slowing my racing heart, I waited with my eyes on the clouds.

Almost immediately, they began to dissipate, dissolving into moisture.

"Sarah," I whispered, finally sitting up and carefully shifting Tyler's body so he was resting in my lap. "I have to be careful... even more than I originally thought. If someone finds out I can control the weather, everyone... everyone will think I'm a bad person. They'll think I'm a villain... and if that happens, lots of people will come after me, right?"

"Even if they do, you aren't a bad person," my friend fervently explained, scooting closer and setting a hand on my shoulder. "If you're ever caught, just be honest. That is the only thing you can do. Even if they don't believe you at first, eventually they'll have to because the truth always wins."

I don't know how, or even why, but for some reason... Sarah always seemed to know exactly what to say in order to soothe my fears. After a moment, I looked around for the first time, but I was mildly startled to realize we were nowhere near the parking lot where I'd saved Tyler. In fact, this place was an unfamiliar part of the city to me. I blinked before glancing at Sarah, who was looking at her phone with a frown.

"Where are we, exactly?" I asked, watching as she blinked. "And how did we get here?"

"We're about two blocks away from where we were earlier," Sarah admitted, shrugging in embarrassment, "and I carried both of you here."

My eyes widened when she scratched her nose with a blush.

"Both of us?" I scoffed, not believing my ears. "That had to have been heavy."

"Actually, it was surprisingly easy, since I brought you one at a time," she explained, looking at Tyler with solemn eyes. "Anyway, what are we going to about him...? Where are his parents?"

"His Mom is probably working," I sighed, setting a gentle hand on the little boy's head. "He usually waits for her in the park."

"What about his dad?" she carefully inquired. "Is there some way he can get a hold of them?"

"He doesn't have a dad," I explained, sighing a little. "I think we should take him to the park and wait there until his mother comes to pick him up."

"Good idea," Sarah sighed, nodding before she gathered her things. "Are you okay to walk, though?"

"I'll manage," I murmured, glancing down when Tyler stirred in my arms; blinking, I gently patted his cheek. "Tyler? You okay?"

A small, tired whine met my ears and he slowly turned his head, burying his face in my dress shirt.

"Poor little guy," Sarah stated, looking at him with sympathetic eyes. "He definitely had a rough day."

I was instantly reminded of something, and with unnerved eyes, I glanced at her.

"Were the people he burned all right?" I hastily inquired. "Did you manage to figure out who they were?"

The blonde girl instantly nodded, eyes becoming hesitant.

"They were okay, for the most part," she admitted, then ran a hand through her hair and added, "but I don't think Tyler will get in trouble for hurting them. In fact, people are liable to call him a hero if it's ever discovered that he was the one who knocked them all out like that."

I stared at her, frowning intensely.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"Well, apparently someone else was in the parking lot before the kid lost control," Sarah admitted, shivering a little. "I actually went back a third time to make sure they were all... well, you know, okay... but when I got there, the cops were just arriving. Apparently those people were armed robbers who had tried to steal an old woman's car. The police thought the Teen Titans had intervened again. So, by all rights, he's a hero."

My eyes widened in horror and I looked down at the little boy sleeping in my arms.

"What was he thinking?!" I hissed, feeling a twinge of anger spark up. "I mean, I'm glad it turned out okay, but still! A kid his age going against armed robbers is dangerous! Life threateningly dangerous, I mean!"

"Yeah, I get it," Sarah soothed, rubbing my arm, "but try to remember that he's just a kid. He probably didn't know any better."

Right around that moment, Tyler shifted again and slowly lifted his head, looking around with glazed eyes.

"Mommy?" he sleepily called. "Mommy?"

"Tyler, look up here," I gently commanded, waiting until he glanced at me. "So, how was your nap? Do you remember what happened?"

He stared at me with exhausted eyes, mouth open a little, but then he slowly nodded.

"Did I beat the bad guys?" he asked, clutching my shirt with a shaking fist. "Did... did they... did they get away?"

"No, they were arrested thanks to your bravery," I stated, then glared at him with my most reproachful look. "Still, what the heck were thinking? Why would you try going after a group of criminals on your own?!"

"Everyone... calls me a monster and a villain," he whined, looking like he was about to cry. "And... and people were being mean to Mommy today, saying I would end up in the bad guy prison someday since I'm not a good boy. I only wanted to... to be a hero, just once, so everyone would see I'm not bad and leave me and Mommy alone! But... but I couldn't do it... the fire just kept going, and..."

I felt my heart wrench and my anger faltered the moment I heard his explanation.

"Oh, Tyler," I soothed, wrapping my arms around him when he began to cry. "Look... you're not bad. I know it's rough to deal with what everyone is saying to you and your mother right now, and I'm not going to sugar coat it: it probably won't get any easier, ever. However, there IS something that you can do to make it hurt less. There IS something that can help."

"What?" he sniffles, looking at me with large, attentive eyes. "Tell me, Miss Sallia! Please!"

"Okay, fine: it's really simple, actually," I stated firmly, giving him a serious look. "Get stronger, Tyler. Not just physically, but emotionally, too. Don't let what everyone says make you cry or get you down; instead, brush it off, because they don't know how genuinely wonderful you are, and that is THEIR loss, not yours. Just because you have these powers doesn't automatically mean you're a bad person, okay?"

"Can I really be strong, though?" he asked, looking at me with scared eyes. "Can I really be a good boy even though I burn things?"

"Well, yeah, of course," I confirmed, feeling a little embarrassed. "I mean, take a good look at ME. Do I look like a bad girl to you?"

His reaction was instantaneous.

"No! No, Miss Sally! You're the nicest person ever, just like Mommy!" he cried, clutching my shirt with huge eyes. "You're not bad!"

"Really?" I asked, giving him a firm look. "Well, what if I told you that I can make tornadoes happen even when I'm not trying to? What if I told you that I had accidentally destroyed seventeen houses within a single minute because I didn't know what was happening? Because I didn't even know I had this power of mine? Would you still think I'm a good person? Even though what I can do is scary and extremely dangerous?"

He thought about it, obviously mulling it over.

"Well, yeah," he explained, looking confused. "Even if your power is scary, _you_ aren't. You're really nice, and you saved me, too."

I smiled, tapping his nose.

"See?" I explained, silently feeling relieved. "You just answered your own question, Tyler. Your powers don't define you; your heart does. So, if you really want to prove them wrong, be strong. Ignore those who hurt you. In fact, be nice to them, because in the end... you're going to be saving the nice people AND the mean people, because that's what heroes do. And you, Tyler, are a hero. Not a villain. Never forget that."

His face instantly screwed up as if he were going to cry, but I was mildly impressed when he choked the tears back.

Still, when he hugged me again like he'd done on that day in the park, I couldn't deny that I felt happy I'd been able to help.

"Sorry to interrupt," Sarah murmured, tapping my arm, "but it's getting late. If we stay here too long, people will begin to worry."

"You're right... but we can't just leave him here, especially since he's totally naked," I stated, shivering a little; the ice was slowly beginning to come back, searing and unpleasant. "It'd be wrong on so many levels."

"What should we do, then?" the blonde girl asked. "Any suggestions?"

I thought about it for a moment, shakily hooking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I'll take Tyler to the park and wait for his mother to show up so I can explain what happened," I finally decided, looking at her with firm eyes. "While I do that, you should head back to the Foster House and tell Miss Figgins and the other matrons that I'll be running a bit late so they don't worry."

She instantly frowned at me, eyes full of uncertainty.

"Are you sure?" Sarah asked, biting her lip when Tyler glanced back and forth between the two of us in confusion. "I mean, you collapsed earlier... do you think you'll be okay getting back on your own after everything that's already happened?"

"I'll manage," I reassured, looking at Tyler with firm eyes. "Promise."

Even though she looked uncomfortable about it, she hefted her things and stood up.

"All right, I'll trust you," the blonde girl sighed, giving me an exasperated look. "Make sure you come right back, though."

I nodded, watching as she reluctantly turned and started walking away.

When she made it to the end of the street and finally vanished around the corner, I sighed and tossed my curly hair out of my face.

"Are you feeling well enough to walk?" I asked, swallowing when Tyler slowly closed his eyes and rubbed them. "If so, we should head back to the park."

The little boy nodded in reply and tiredly stood up, looking at the navy blue blazer that had been draped over his body.

"Mommy is going to be sad about my clothes," he mourned, touching my blazer. "She might cry."

"She loves you," I retorted, snorting. "She'll be more relieved that you're okay after what happened than anything else, trust me. Now, are you ready to go?"

"I'm ready," Tyler agreed, watching as I tiredly stood up. "Mommy might be at the park now... it's late."

"Then I guess we should hurry," I muttered, taking his hand and heading down the street.

When Tyler nodded weakly, I sighed in relief and the two of us stumbled around the corner and headed down another street:

The sunlight nearly blinded me when we finally slipped out of the shadows the skyscrapers around us were creating.

"Finally," I groaned, shivering violently in dismay. "We're almost to the park!"

However, it was only a little further on that Tyler grew dizzy and started stumbling: he tried to keep going, and he even attempted to lean on me to keep himself upright, but eventually he collapsed. When his hand slipped out of my own and the sound of his body hitting the ground met my ears, I whirled around with a start. The moment I saw him on the ground, however, my face drained of color and I knelt down in a flurry of action.

"Hey, are you all right?" I asked, rolling him over and patting his flushed cheeks. "Tyler! Are you okay?!"

The kid didn't respond; he merely lay there breathing hard with his eyes squeezed shut. However, his eyes snapped open when I unexpectedly lifted his body into my arms and shakily struggled to slide him onto my back. After I was finished adjusting to his weight, I slid my skinny arms under his knees and forced my rubbery legs to stand back up. Then I started walking again, ignoring the weak flail of protest he gave me.

"I'm okay," he stammered. "I can walk, really... I'm just a bit dizzy."

I merely tightened my grip on his legs to prevent him from moving them and kept going.

"I have to get you back," I muttered after a long, lulling silence. "You're burning up, no pun intended. Just rest until we get you back to your Mom."

Tyler blinked and weakly nodded against the back of my neck, nuzzling my curly blonde hair.

"You smell like sunshine, Miss Sally," Tyler mumbled. "You look like it, too."

I snorted in amuserment.

That was the weirdest compliment I'd ever been given.

We continued walking down the streets in silence, ignoring the odd looks we were getting from passerby.

And mind you, we were getting a lot.

Tyler only opened his eyes when he heard a familiar voice screaming his name.

"Tyler?!" a female voice wailed, sounding absolutely terrified. "Tyler?! Baby, where are you?! Tyler! Oh, God, please... Tyleeeer!"

I swallowed when the park came into view: a dark-haired woman wearing a floral sundress was running to and fro in obvious hysterics.

She seemed to be on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.

"Mommy!" he abruptly called, lifting a weak arm. "Over here!"

When the woman whirled around and spotted us, she clutched the front of her dress with huge eyes.

"Tyler, oh thank Goodness!" she cried, hefting her skirt and tearing towards us. "Tyler!"

"Mommy!" he cried, bursting into tears when she rushed over and smothered his forehead with kisses. "Agh, Mommy, stop! That tickles!"

I awkwardly leaned to the side since she was leaning over my shoulder to do so; however, that's when she noticed what he was wearing.

Or rather, _not_ wearing.

Before I could so much as blink, she grabbed him off of my back and backed away, looking at me with wary eyes.

"What happened to my boy?" she demanded. "Where are his clothes?!"

I blinked, awkwardly shifting my weight.

"Yeah, about that," I stammered, rubbing my arm, "he... kind of lost control of his... um, powers. His clothes were destroyed by them."

"What do you mean?!" the woman demanded, brown eyes sharpening in an instant. "What happened?! Where did you find him?!"

"Well, I found him by the parking lot covered in flames," I murmured, swsllowing a little, "so... s-since I actually have my own... er, powers... I used them on Tyler to put out the fire he'd lost control of. We both kinda passed out for a while as a result, though."

Tyler twitched when he saw the expression of outrage on his mother's face.

"Are you NUTS?!" the woman screeched, tearing over to me and gripping my sleeves; her eyes were large and full of horrified tears, but first and foremost she was seriously pissed off. "How DARE you?! Did you really use your strange, freakish powers on my little boy?! Who in the name of God do you think you are?!"

"I... I'm sorry," I squeaked, leaning away from her with large teal eyes. "I-I really am! Honestly, I only wanted to hel -"

"I don't care what were you thinking!" the woman roared, making me flinch. "You didn't have any right! Go on! Get out of here, and stay away from us!"

Okay, I'll admit it: her reaction hurt.

Bad.

So much, in fact, that I almost started crying before I could stop myself.

However, just before I was about to bolt, a flash of blue obscured my eyes and all of a sudden... someone wearing a cloak was standing in front of me.

Tyler's eyes instantly widened and he gasped, pointing at the blue-clad figure.

"Raven!" he cried, breaking into a huge grin. "Mommy, look! It's Raven of the Teen Titans!"

"Oh, my," the woman stammered, hefting her son up a little as the anger turned to shock. "This is an honor I wasn't expecting. Just in, time, too! She -"

"I would like to make something clear," the hooded girl rasped, interrupting her. "I find your accusations and blunt disrespect to be utterly disquieting."

Everyone did a double-take, even me.

"I beg... your pardon?" Miss Babbowitz inquired. "What do you mean?"

"Three hours ago, the Titans and myself were called," Raven rasped, large violet eyes barely visible from within her shadowy hood, "to catch a large group of criminals who've been performing robberies all over the city today. My team split up to go after each group individually. However, one such group was in the process of attempting grand theft auto when your son showed up and tried to stop them."

The woman's eyes widened in horror and she looked at Tyler with fright plastered across her face.

"Baby!" she whispered. "Is this true?"

"Yes, Mommy," he mumbled, hiding his face. "I... I just wanted to show everyone that I'm not a villain so people would stop yelling at -"

"Furthermore," Raven forcibly continued, cutting him off sharply, "even though he successfully incapacitated them, your son lost control of his abilities to a highly dangerous extent. His powers had inadvertantly spiked to a level that his body couldn't handle: if it hadn't been for this young lady, who intervened before I had the chance to arrive at the scene, your child might very well have destroyed himself. She saved his life."

"What?" the woman whispered, blinking in confusion. "She... saved him? But... but I thought maybe she'd used some sort of strange power on my boy..."

Tyler instantly tugged on his mother's shirt.

"No, Mommy, I-I'm only fine thanks to Miss Sally," the little boy stammered. "I-I... well, um... if it hadn't been for her, I would have been in big trouble."

"W-what?!" the woman gasped, eyes widening in horror. "What do you mean?! What did she do? Tell me this instant!"

"Oh, she was so cool, Mommy!" Tyler immediately gushed, dark eyes unexpectedly beginning to sparkle. "When I couldn't stop the fire, she made the sky go dark and then, whoosh! It got really, really windy! So windy that it was almost hard to breathe! And she made the wind put my fire out!"

"Impossible!" the woman whispered, eyes bugging out of her skull. "That can't be true! There's no way she could have done that!"

For a long moment, Miss Babbowitz merely stared at me in stunned surprise.

"She did," Raven muttered, turning for the first time and glaring at me. "I saw it with my own two eyes. She conjured a wind storm out of thin air."

I shivered violently and swallowed, since I was now in some pretty serious trouble.

Raven had seen me. I was screwed.

"Well, then it seems I owe you an apology," Miss Babbowitz sighed, setting Tyler down and walking over to me; before I could so much as blink, she hesitantly wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Thank you so much for saving my son. I don't even know what to say. I'm sorry for lashing out at you like I did without hearing the facts. Those criminals may have gotten what they deserved, but I'm just glad my boy came back safely."

"I-it's okay, really," I stated, blinking when she pulled away and looked at my face; then she glanced down at my Academy uniform and paused for a moment. "I didn't really do much."

"Well, even so, I'm grateful," Miss Babbowitz stated, then dug around in her purse for a notepad and started writing something. "Here, I'm giving you my phone number so we can stay in touch. If you could, I'd like to know your number as well. That way I can let you know when your blazer has been washed. You don't mind, do you?"

I instantly shifted my weight, feeling uncomfortable.

"Not really, but... I don't have a phone," I awkwardly mumbled, running a hand through my hair. "Sorry."

"Eh?" the woman asked, looking at me in surprise. "Don't most high schoolers your age have one?"

I winced, averting my eyes.

"It's complicated," I reluctantly mumbled. "Really."

"Well, then, I guess it can't be helped," the woman sighed, casting a look at Raven, who hadn't moved or spoken since the death glare. "What's your address?"

"167 South McLaren Avenue, on the corner of St. Jaegger Road," I weakly replied, not looking at her. "The huge yellow house at the end of the street."

When the woman's eyebrows twitched upward in surprise, I felt sick: I didn't want to see the pity on her face, so I didn't look at her.

"I see," she pensively murmured. "Well, I'll be sure to drop by with your blazer a few days from now. I have to go, though... it's getting late, and Tyler needs to get some rest."

"I do, too," I stated, flinching when Raven's head finally turned in my direction; all I could see of her face was a taught mouth. "I need to get going. "

So saying, I dusted my skirt off and watched as the woman took her son's hand and walked away.

"Bye, Miss Sally!" Tyler called, waving after me. "Thanks again for saving me!"

I waved until the two of them got in a green van and drove out of sight.

Then I let my arm drop.

For a long moment, I just stood there. Silently waiting.

Waiting for judgement.

And yet... for some reason, it was not forthcoming.

"So... what now...?" I finally asked, not looking at Raven. "I have supernatural powers... but what's going to happen to me?"

"That depends on you," Raven stated in a cold, emotionless rasp. "Will you undergo inspection? Or will you continue trying to hide it?"

I stood there for a long moment as the weight of everything I knew and didn't know came crashing down on me.

"I don't want this power," I stated simply, ignoring the burdens on my shoulders and stretching my hand out towards the sky, almost as if I were reaching for heaven; even as I said it, a warm wind slid around us, lifting my curly hair away from my back and ruffling my clothes. "I don't want anyone to know I have it, either. I want to pretend it doesn't exist. I want to be normal again, like I used to be."

For a long moment, the Empath didn't speak... merely stood there, watching me.

"How did you enter my mind?" she finally demanded. "That is all I want to know."

"I told you while I was there that I don't know," I explained, lowering my hand and looking at her with tired eyes. "I touched a fire. And then I was falling into your mind. There was no reason for it that I can think of, and I'm pretty sure you should know that since you always seemed to be seeing inside my head whenever I was there. Even so, this is all too much for me to comprehend, let alone explain. Give me some time... please."

When she simply stared at me, I ignored her and focused on the wind, closing my eyes as I strengthened it to a wild gust. My hair exploded behind me and whipped around, but I merely stood there... wishing I had never delved too deep into the knowledge behind what I could do. If I hadn't, the grief wouldn't have been crushing me like it was.

"I will be watching you," Raven eventually muttered, giving me a glare. "I know what you can do now. If I catch wind of any unexpected storms popping up in the area after today, the Titans will be coming for you. Remember that. You are not a vigilante... so don't be stupid with your powers."

So saying, her eyes shone brilliantly and a wave of shadow engulfed her.

I jumped when she literally sank through the ground, eyes widening in shock. When she was gone, I stared at the spot she'd disappeared in for almost ten minutes, not comprehending what I'd just seen. Then I woodenly turned and walked back to the foster house.

After the say I'd just had, all I wanted to do was go to bed.


	13. Chapter 12: Ave Maria

**Chapter** **Twelve**: **Ave** **Maria**

For several days after that, my body felt heavy.

For several different reasons.

Even after I had recovered from the exhaustion, it was hard to move, almost as though invisible chains had been cast upon me.

Those chains followed me everywhere, tightening around me, sinking in... making it a struggle just to keep moving forward. The chains of grief, depression, and guilt. My friends had immediately noticed the change in me, and even though I was still my usual, shivering self, I never spoke without prompting from them. We still hung out and did things together, but in the end... I wasn't happy.

At all.

And they could see that.

At school, I ended up getting in trouble since I couldn't focus on my work, and since I was usually too spaced to hear it when the teachers called on me, my academic ratings began to plummet. Then began the teasing: Jareth had been pretty quiet ever since I'd used MMA on his butt, but Mandy's group had actually become a 'bully group'. She had apparently been serious about trying to expose my secret.

Ever since the day I'd threatened her, she and her friends had been trying to piss me off.

Not that it really bothered me all that much to be harassed by them… after all, the Queen Bees and their little group of bimbos never really went beyond the typical slut-related insults or a bit of pushing in the halls. Plus, Sarah and Amber were usually right there next to me when it started, so things never really got out of hand. I found their actions more trivial than anything else.

That is, until the day that Lilith Jones took things just a little too far.

It had started during gym class: the blonde had purposely tripped me during our usual lap routine around the gymnasium, and as a result... I'd twisted my ankle. However, instead of being allowed to sit out, I had been forced to keep going since our teacher was kind of a no-nonsense asshole. So, after going through the whole class and straining my ankle to the point of feeling like it was breaking, I had been grateful to get into the showers.

Amber had been furious after seeing how swollen my foot had become.

"That jerk should have just let you sit out," she groused, biting her lip. "You need some ice... I'll run down to the nurse and grab some. Okay?"

"Yeah, that would be nice," I confirmed, hissing through my teeth when she touched it with gentle fingers. "Ow. Please don't poke it again."

"Geez," Amber muttered, hastily getting to her feet and ignoring the stares from the other girls in the locker room. "I'll be right back, Sally. If you can, try to shower first, but don't make the water too warm. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," I sighed, flapping a hand. "I'll do the honors and warm it up."

"Cool," she laughed; then, with a wink, she took off. "See ya in a sec."

When she was gone, I got up and carefully stripped off my gym uniform before wrapping a towel around my waist.

However, unfortunately enough for me, I was still spaced out... so I didn't notice that the other girls had their phones out, or even that there were expressions of anticipation on their faces. After I had showered and rinsed my hair free of my travel-size bottle of shampoo and conditioner, I wrapped myself back up in the towel and turned to go grab my things. However, I was mildly startled when I nearly bumped into a wall of girls.

All of whom were waiting with folded arms.

Directly in front of them was Lilith.

When I'd been younger, I used to assume that the term 'Mean Girl' was nothing but an imaginary cliché used to fuel the teenage drama in chick flicks and other movies. However, right then it occurred to me that it was actually a very real thing. After having a silent staredown, Lilith stepped forward; I raised my eyebrows a bit when she came right up to me and sneered with piggish blue eyes.

"What's hanging, slut!" she laughed at me. "Rumor has it that you've been spending an awful lot of time with Sarah Collins and Amber McKlaren. So, what's up with you and those nasty hoes? Is it really true what everyone is saying? Are you really their lesbian slut?"

I did a double-take and stared at her, feeling confused.

"Um, sorry, but are you high?" I asked seriously, giving her a dumbfounded expression. "Because if you aren't, I think you really are genuinely stupid."

"Oh, I'm stupid?" she laughed, looking at her friends. "Well, even if I was, which I'm not, at least I'm not a whore or a lesbian."

"Excuse me?" I demanded in a monotone, furrowing my brows. "First of all... your uniform skirt is cropped so high that everyone can see your underwear without even trying to look. If that doesn't make you look like a whore, I don't know what does_._ Second of all, you're the last person in this school who should be assuming that I'm a lesbian for spending time with Amber and Sarah, because we all know that YOU spend more time kissing Amanda's ass than Amber spends on her shopaholic fashion trips to the mall. And trust me... Amber would shop for ETERNITY if she could."

That statement made a few girls giggle before they could stop themselves.

It was only then that I saw the phones: eyes widening, I clutched the towel covering my chest and secured it a bit better.

"Look, Sally," Lilith snorted, face turning red, "nobody likes you. You're a waste of space."

"Well, that's a big shocker," I yawned, mockingly expressing my boredom. "Fortunately, though, I don't care about other people's opinions unless the topic is about how big of a bitch you are. If you're up for a casual debate on THAT topic, by all means... please continue. Maybe I could actually find some interest."

"You asking for a problem, hoe?" Lilith snapped, finally losing her cool. "It seems like it with all that trash talking."

"Even if you _do_ have a problem with me, you're shit out of luck at this point," I snorted, shaking my head. "Look, Lilith, I don't deal with drama. If you think I'm going to talk to you after being insulted like that, you're wrong... so, I'd appreciate it if you'd move out of the way now. I'd like to go get dressed, but I can't do that until your fat ass stops blocking the exit."

Unfortunately, I didn't see her fist coming at me until it had already connected with my nose.

Lilith had literally drawn back her fist and nailed me with a mean left hook.

Under normal circumstances, I would have kicked the shit out of her... but because I tried to avoid putting weight on my ankle after I staggered, I slipped on the tile and unexpectedly went down on the shower floor, smacking my head against it and nearly knocking myself out; after I came to, it was hard to hear anything but the ringing that had dominated my head. I heard muffled laughter and felt things hitting my chest and face.

And I could vaguely see all the girls coming closer, excitedly pointing and looking at their phones.

I slowly began to crawl away from them, dragging myself backwards since they only kept coming... smiling, laughing, egging Lilith on.

When the blonde girl stepped forward, I attempted to stand up, but my ankle virtually shocked me with pain: face screwing up, I struggled to pull myself backwards until I felt cold tile touching my shoulders. And yet, they only kept coming, surrounding me like the vultures they were and holding their phones out. I struggled to get up again, but my foot wouldn't let me... and it was in that moment that I lost my cool.

Face screwing up, I let out a screech of pain and rage, eyes watering so much that I squeezed them shut to hide it.

However, it was in that very moment that the fluorescent lights above us flashed violently and exploded, making all of the girls scream. The room suddenly went dark and I heard people scrambling for the door... then, it was silent. However, as I lay trembling on the floor, I didn't know that the sky outside had turned extremely dark.

Clouds had roared in out of nowhere, obscuring the sky and blocking out a vast majority of the sun.

Slowly trying to get up, I crawled in the direction of the lockers and struggled to find my own. I counted the rows until I was sure I had the right one, then I tried the combination. It worked, thankfully, so I grabbed my things and unsteadily dried myself off the best I could. Then I got dressed: after my pleated skirt had been zipped up and my shirt had been buttoned, I shrugged my blazer on and carefully pulled my stockings up.

However, I decided to forego putting on my left shoe since my foot was screaming at me.

Or at least, that's what it felt like.

After limping out into the hall, however, I immediately noticed how dark it was outside and stared at the windows in confusion.

The corridors were oddly empty.

However, upon realizing I had accidentally created a darkening storm front, I limped over to the nearest window and looked at the sky, feeling my heart turning to ice. I felt panic rising up my throat when I remembered Raven's warning, and almost manically, I focused on the sky and willed it to clear up. I knew it was working when warmth bloomed within my center and spread throughout my body. When the azure haze once again obscured my vision, within the span of a minute, the dark clouds lessened and sunlight began to break through them.

It only took another minute, period, for them to disappear altogether.

Closing my eyes, I forced the power within me to die down and shuddered, feeling ill.

"I have to stop," I whispered, rubbing my face. "I can't lose control... if I do, I'll..."

I couldn't finish the sentence.

You see, the day I'd discovered what my powers truly controlled, something about my outlook on everything had changed.

Not only had I realized just how dangerous I was, all the crushing feelings that I'd missed out on due to my selfish discomfort had smashed into me. All the feelings most people experienced directly after a tragedy had been delayed: I had been such a wreck after it was all over that I'd never really had much time to grieve for my family. I had been iced over from the inside out.

Reality had thawed that ice.

Until that moment, I had been numb to everything, but I had finally woken up.

And it hurt.

A lot.

Right around that moment, the bell finally rang and Amber came rushing around the corner with a distraught expression; she jerked to a halt when she saw me, and after blinking her eyes widened and she rushed forward.

"What on earth happened?" the redhead demanded, looking at me and touching my nose. "Sally! Your nose is bleeding!"

"It is?" I croaked in surprise, touching my lip only to learn she was being serious. "Oh... it really is."

"What happened while I was gone?" she demanded, pushing me against the wall and forcing me to sit down; after handing me a hall pass, she squatted down in front of me and gently slid my left stocking off. "I saw some of the girls freaking out over something that happened in the locker rooms, and on the way to the Nurse, the whole school lost power for a few seconds."

"Lilith Jones is what happened," I explained, shifting and watching as she wrapped the ice packet up against my ankle using a long medical bandage. "She decided to gang up on me with a bunch of other girls, like always, but this time she hit me in the face. If it weren't for my foot, I'd have kicked her ass... yet, as it turns out, there was no need to since the light bulbs decided to spontaneously combust."

She stopped and looked up, staring at me.

"Say what?" she asked, not believing her ears. "The lights in the locker room did what?"

"They exploded," I calmly explained. "It was probably... like, an electrical failure or something."

"Dude, is the school falling apart?" she snorted, shaking her head with frown. "First the pool goes nuts and shocks everyone, now the locker room lights explode? Talk about scary... I really hope the teachers get on this, because these electrical failures are just accidents waiting to happen."

"Yeah," I muttered, feeling guilty for lying. "They are."

"Hey, I know you're having a rough day, but do you want to come with me to the mall after school gets out?" Amber asked, finally letting go of my foot and holding out her hand to help me up. "Sarah can't come since she has to help the animals at the clinic, and since her parents are finally back from whatever trip they were on, she doesn't need our help for once."

"A distraction from the drama would be nice," I murmured, thinking on it; taking a breath, I grasped her hand and let her tug me onto my feet. "I only have like ten bucks on me, though. I can't buy much."

"Meh, half the fun is looking around," she chuckled. "Now, let's get your face cleaned up. To the Lady's room we go!"

When she dragged me off, trying to keep it slow because of my foot, I was grateful.

Not because of the outing itself, but because Amber could obviously see how badly I needed a distraction from everything that was going on with me

However, once I got to the lady's room, I limped over to the sink and stared at the mirror: I was mildly surprised to see that my mouth, lips, and chin were covered in dried blood. It looked like my nose had been busted open... feeling a little pissed and overwhelmed, I jerked the faucet on and carefully washed the blood free of my skin. Then I looked up at the mirror and simply blasted at it, wishing everyone would leave me alone.

I jumped when my eyes abruptly started glowing blue, and before I could so much as blink, a flurry of wind filled the room and the mirror in front of me started cracking. I began to hyperventilate, struggling to cut off the flow of energy inside me, but it wouldn't stop for some reason. I stood there, breathing hard and staring at the cracks running across the mirror... then, abruptly, it shattered.

I stared at the glass in the sink, watching as the air currents moved it all around.

Then the haze in my eyes went out and I swallowed, trying to catch my breath.

"That was a trip," a drawling voice suddenly murmured; I jumped and whirled around when one of the stalls behind me opened up, but my heart nearly stopped when one of the girls from the House stepped out. Her dyed blue hair looked almost cerulean in the fluorescent light coming above us, and her husky blue eyes were pensive. "Your name is... Sally, right?"

"Yes," I stated calmly, trying to keep a level head. "So... let's skip the awkward introductions and cut to the chase, Marie. You saw me... now what?"

For a second, she looked surprised... but then her face smoothed out.

"I'm not really as big of a bitch as I seem, you know," she stated, pulling a cigarette out of her pocket and lighting it. "I suspected it for a while, but I didn't think it was possible since I'm still trying to make sense of my own situation. Still, you do have the symptoms... I'm pretty sure I know what you are."

I blinked when she approached and set both hands on either side of me, blocking me in.

Feeling a bit intimidated, I pressed myself back against the sink and stared at her.

"Your point?" I demanded, mouth feeling dry. "Even if you do, it doesn't change anything."

Marie smiled at me in an almost sympathetic manner.

Then she took the cigarette out of her mouth and leaned close to my ear, so close that her hair tickled my neck.

"You have the ice inside you," she whispered, making me freeze and listen closely, "and you also have strange powers. I know what you are, Sally Beth... and it isn't a metahuman like everyone thinks."

"What am I, then?" I whispered, swallowing a little. "Tell me..."

Marie chuckled, then pulled away, looking at me with cold blue eyes.

"You're dead, Sally," she stated simply, smiling in an almost maniacal way. "Just like me."

For a moment, I stared at her with my mouth open, not believing my ears.

"Are you high or something?" I bluntly demanded. "No offense, but that sounds batshit crazy."

"That's what I thought at first, too," she countered, popping the cigarette back in her mouth. "I thought maybe I had just passed out... hallucinated everything... that it had all been a bad dream, and that the chilling cold feeling inside me had come from the drugs I'd done at the party. But I had been so wrong, Sally... back then... I hadn't known... hadn't understood."

"What do you mean?" I demanded, swallowing in anxiety. "I don't get it..."

"How old am I?" she demanded, cocking her hip and staring at me seriously. "Tell me."

"Seventeen?" I proffered, not understanding where this was going. "Right?"

"And how old do I look?" she demanded, staring at me. "Well?"

I looked at her face, taking in her appearance: I was surprised to notice that she looked a lot older than she was. Not in the face, but in her eyes.

"If I had to guess, twenty three or twenty four," I stammered, feeling uncomfortable when she snickered. "Don't laugh at me..."

"Not even close," she drawled, finally stepping away from me. "Sally... just remember... something brought you back for a reason. And since I'm sure there are plenty of people who would kill to get their hands on you, I would recommend not showing your supernatural side to anyone."

"How do you know all this?" I demanded, looking at her with stunned irritation. "What makes you think I'll listen? How do I know you aren't just high?"

For a moment, she stared at me with frigid blue eyes.

Then, she rolled the sleeve of her academy uniform up and held her hand up, revealing the inner part of her upper wrist.

I did a double take when I saw the strange, unidentifiable symbol that looked as though it had been burned onto her skin.

"I've had my eyes on you for a while," she told me in a low tone. "You're skeptical of everything, but I can assure you I'm being serious. For example, you definitely have a similar mark somewhere on your body, zombie girl. Where it is, only you can know, but you do have one."

Nope," I instantly explained, shaking my head. "Nothing like that is on my body, trust me."

"Well, like I said, only you can know," Marie stated, shrugging with cold eyes. "Just keep an eye out for anything odd, okay?"

So saying, she put her cigarette out on the busted glass and smiled before walking out of the bathroom.

However, her words followed me for the rest of the day.

Haunting me... making me paranoid.

And most of all, making me wonder what the fuck was going on.


	14. Chapter 13: Bad Luck

**Chapter Thirteen: Bad Luck**

After school was out, I waited for Amber by the front gates, holding my bag with a pensive sensation in my stomach.

I didn't know why, but I couldn't get Marie's words out of my head.

_"You're dead, Sally..."_

I shuddered, then pressed my back against the wall and let out a sigh.

I didn't want to think about it.

My head was still whirling from the fact that I had supernatural abilities, and I didn't exactly want any more confusion added onto what I was already dealing with. I was grateful when Amber finally hurried outside and ran over to me. She beamed once I straightened up and threw her hands in the air.

"Yay! You're here! This is gonna be great, Sally! We're going to have a blast," she cried in delight. "I figured you needed some cheering up, anyway. The mall is awesome!"

"I've only ever been to a mall twice," I sighed, following her when she led me down the street towards a public city bus stop. "For Christmas shopping."

"Well, today you'll be able to just bask in the awesomeness," Amber giggled, then sighed and added, "and since we haven't really had any bonding time, I figured this might be a great opportunity to really get to know each other."

I felt a pleasant buzz of anticipation upon hearing that.

When we got on the bus, I felt a little bit less anxious about everything thanks to Amber's constant chatter. Plus, it was an idyllic afternoon in Jump City: the sun was shining down gloriously, and the rays of surreal light danced upon the pristine waters surrounding the city, reflecting brightly off of the windows of the many skyscrapers in the metropolitan area. With such nice weather, it was no surprise to see that the streets of the city were full this early in the afternoon: some people were merely running errands and going about their daily business, while others skipped out of work early to squeeze in a game of golf or a trip to the beach with the kids.

It was truly a great day to be alive.

"How long has it been since you've been to a Mall?" Amber suddenly asked, catching my attention. "You said you've been to one twice."

"Um... I think the last time was maybe about eight years ago," I murmured, furrowing my brows as I thought about it. "My... mother took me shopping."

"Wow… eight years?" Amber scoffed, giving a little snort of surprise. "Well, honestly, it's been a long time since I've been there, too."

I blinked in surprise and stared at her.

"Seriously?" I asked in confusion. "But you and Sarah act like you practically live there."

"That was before the crime rate in Jump City skyrocketed," Amber admitted, looking out the window with a sigh. "I was too scared to try going by myself after I got caught up in an incident a few months ago."

I stared at her with a frown.

"What incident?" I inquired, not recalling anything in particular; I had definitely been detached from everything after moving into the foster house, but had it really been to the point where I'd missed out on something happening to one of the other kids in the home? "What exactly happened?"

She looked uncomfortable, which was highly unusual.

"Don't laugh, okay?" she asked, giving me a plaintive look. "But a few months ago, I was shopping in my favorite souvenir store when some sort of huge... er... stone-like _monster _smashed a hole in the building and started chucking things everywhere."

I blinked in surprise and stared at her, not believing my ears.

"Really?" I deadpanned, giving her a questioning expression. "Are you being serious or just pulling my leg?"

"I'm being dead serious," Amber muttered, swallowing hard and shaking her head. "I was so scared, Sally. That thing... whatever it was... it literally destroyed the store within a span of three minutes just by throwing things around. If the Titans hadn't shown up, I don't think I'd have made it out of there."

I shivered a little, wondering what the world was coming to if monsters like that were seriously walking around.

"I guess this just means we'll have to be careful," I sighed, gently patting her arm. "Right?"

"Yeah... anyway, this is gonna be awesome!" Amber laughed, bouncing back to her old self and throwing her hands in the air out of excitement. "We can go check out the arcade and the electronics store and see the new things they made and upgraded during the time I was away! Then we can go check out the clothing shops and the salons!"

"Definitely!" I agreed enthusiastically, shooting her a huge grin.

"Oh, and don't forget all of the yummy treats at the food court!" Amber sighed dreamily, drooling a little bit. "I honestly don't know who invented the chocolate-frosted pretzel, but I think they managed to create a slice of heaven on earth."

"Well, this is going to be fun, if nothing else," I agreed, nodding my head. "I'm looking forward to it."

Luckily, the mall wasn't too far from our school, so we made it to our stop fairly quickly.

After the bus pulled over, Amber and I got out and began walking the rest of the distance toward the front of the mall.

When we walked through the doors, however, I was abruptly overcome by the sights, smells, sounds, and incredible bustling going on all around us.

The sound of multiple conversations and unbridled laughter enveloped me quickly, along with the sight of thousands of twinkling lights—from the fluorescent storefront signs to the decorative strobes and multicolored stands of bulbs used to seduce the eye. Even better, though, was the scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and chocolate-frosted pretzels looming somewhere off in the distance: even though the food court was on the other side of the mall, the scent had permeated the air and proved to be thoroughly intoxicating. Amber and I passed each store front slowly, dazedly taking in what each display window had to offer.

We even strolled passed the perfume vendors and scented-candle stores, which—to most people—would prove to be either overwhelming or nauseating.

It was only after a few moments, however, that I noticed people looking at me and Amber.

I glanced down at myself after a moment and figured it was probably because we were still wearing our Academy uniforms.

Either way, I let it go.

Amber's eyes were round and twinkling from the bright lights flickering on the signs nearby, but the most noticeable thing about her was the fact that she had a goofy smile on her face—a mixture of relaxation and contentment.

"I missed this," Amber sighed, spinning around in a circle and smiling in contentment. "I feel like I've returned home after being away for a long time."

However, my pondering mood evaporated as soon as we reached the electronics store in the mall.

I literally stood in awe as I gazed at the storefront window: flat-screen and high definition televisions, premium surround-sound stereo systems, game consoles hooked up to 60-inch LCD televisions, and a plethora of technological treats had been laid out before us. It was hard for even Amber to resist admiring them, and even harder for me not to drool on the displays. After browsing through the store and playing around with almost every item available, Amber and I emerged with star-struck eyes.

"I might get a part-time job after seeing all that," I whispered, shaking my head in wonder. "I seriously want one of those televisions!"

"I'll chip in if I can get that Gamestation XL!" Amber laughed, grinning brightly. "I seriously want one! Anyway, I'm hungry! Let's go to the food court! You can get whatever you want, Sally... my treat!"

I blinked in surprise and looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"You don't have to do that," I carefully pointed out. "Really."

"Yeah, I know, but I want to," she laughed, grinning at me. "That's the kind of stuff friends do for each other, right?"

I sighed and smiled hopelessly when she headed in the direction of the wondrous scent of cinnamon buns. The walk to the food court from the electronics store was considerable, but when hunger struck one particular redhead, it was difficult to ignore the feeling but even more impossible to reason with. It wasn't long before we made it through the lines and finally sat down at a table, Amber with a large plate of loaded beef-and-cheese nachos, and me with two cinnamon rolls and a large soft pretzel loaded with frosted chocolate.

We sat in silence at first, just enjoying our food and looking at our surroundings.

Once we were done, though, we left the food courts.

I didn't look back.

However, as soon as we were in the main hall, Amber took control of our hunting party. I spent an hour wandering along behind her as she moved like a professional through the racks at The Limited, The Gap, the Banana Republic, Hot Topic, and about thirty more various department stores on top of those. I was subjected to a never-ending flurry of trying on fashionable skirts, blouses, tank tops, jeans, boots, heels, dresses, coats, and any other assortment of Diva-like clothing your mind could ever come up with.

It was fun, but slightly traumatizing—if you know what I mean.

I learned after only ten minutes that Amber had some sort of bizarre, supernatural instinct for when and where sales were happening.

She didn't need the advertising, she just knew.

Anyway, while were cruising through a series of tables piled high with sweaters, I spotted something strange out of the corner of my eye.

Someone was watching me.

Specifically, a very large and wild-looking young man who was sitting on a chair outside of the store.

Feeling a little confused, I walked over a rack filled with button-up shirts and inconspicuously pulled one off the rack and held it in front of me, then walked around, keeping my peripheral vision focused on his face. I was disturbed to notice that his eyes followed me whenever I moved. Amber was completely engrossed with the job of looking for a velvet sweater in particular shade of green that probably didn't exist, so she didn't notice when I put the shirt back and slipped away toward the check-out line.

I moved toward the plump desk clerk with light footsteps.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow when I brushed a strand of curly blonde hair out of my eyes. "Is there anything you need?"

"Yes'm," I replied with a nervous grin. "I was just wondering... is it normal for people to stare at the customers who come in here?"

The woman's eyes widened in surprise and she shook her head.

"Erm, not that I'm aware of," she explained, frowning at me. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, I guess so," I murmured, shrugging a little. "Maybe I'm getting worked up over nothing."

"Well, if you need anything, just let me know," the woman sighed.

"Thank you, Ma'am," I said, flashing her a grin before I headed back to where my friend was standing. Amber hadn't even noticed my temporary absence because she was too busy admiring an amethyst necklace that was clasped around a bored-looking Manikin's throat. "So, what's next?"

"Jewelry store," she instantly exclaimed. "I want to see what the latest styles look like!"

"Well, lead on then," I sighed, smirking when she hurried out of the store; when we passed the burly youth who'd been staring at me, I gave him a casual glance and blinked, since he was absolutely enormous. That was the only thing I could catch before I looked away: I didn't want to give him a reason to keep staring. "Creeper..."

Eventually we turned a corner and left him behind, much to my relief. After that, Amber and I strolled through the mall looking for a jewelry shop. Instead, we found an interesting history display that had been set up in a small museum exhibit: an exhibit that Amber disdainfully informed me had formerly been a Kay's Jewelers.

"This is such a bummer," she sighed, pouting. "They had the cutest things, too!"

"Well, since we're here, wanna see some out-of-school world culture?" I asked, raising my eyebrows and looking at her hopefully. "I happen to love history!"

Amber shrugged and rolled her eyes.

Inside the mini museum, we cruised through Early Farm Life but were unimpressed by the pitchfork diorama on the four stages of stump removal. After we were a little further inside, Amber seemed to become strangely interested in an illustrated account of sheep shearing.

Interested, that is, until she noticed the display of dried locusts resting in the next case.

"EEK! Gross!" she squealed, jumping back and crashing into me; the force of her locust phobia brought both us to the ground, where we sat stunned and giggling.

"Chill out, Amber!" I laughed. "Those bugs are dead!"

"They're still repulsive," the redhead replied, inching away from the display by sliding on her butt. "Bugs thoroughly and completely freak me out! Seriously! People have been hospitalized for lesser trauma!"

I stared at her in amazement.

"Bugs gross you out, but animal poop doesn't?" I snorted, bursting into laughter. "How does that make sense?"

"Oh, come on!" Amber vehemently replied, getting up and pulling me to my feet. "Living with Sarah and her animals sort of gave me a tolerance for dealing with animal poop—but she _doesn't_ take in bugs, and even if she did, I would STILL hate them!"

"Don't worry, Amber: we'll be safe here in Early Stores and Apothecaries," I stated with a giggle, secretly planning to tickle the back of Amber's neck with my best locust imitation; however, that thought disappeared from my mind in an instant when I noticed that we weren't alone in the room. "Huh...?"

The young man who'd been watching me earlier was casually standing in the corner. Beside him was an abnormally pale girl with bright pink hair and black lipstick. When I blinked, the girl turned to look at me... and then she smiled. I twitched when I realized her eyes were the same color as her hair... and as strange as it was, I honestly thought there was something off about her pupils. Unfortunately, the moment they saw me looking them, they began walking towards me.

I suddenly had a strange feeling made the hair on my neck stand up.

Not giving myself a chance to think, I grabbed Amber's arm and dragged her into the next room—despite her sudden exclamation of surprise. I pulled her until we were standing safely in front of a light-up display labeled Dunce Caps Throughout The Years.

"Hey!" Amber exclaimed as I stopped and let her go. "What the heck is your deal?!"

I hugged myself, shivering uncontrollably as my legs began to tremble and my knees wobbled like rubber.

"U-um…" I stammered hesitantly, glancing up at her through my hair. "Sorry. I sort of got spooked, so I… um… anyway, sorry."

"Well, next time give me a little more of a warning," Amber sighed. "That hurt my arm."

"Sorry," I sighed, glancing around the room; my eyes registered some kind of movement through the door in the room beyond just a split second before the pink-haired girl came walking out of it, along with a very small, bald little boy who looked like nothing more than a seven-year-old and the heavily-muscled, six-foot-nine, hairy young man. In the light, I noticed that he had a messy mane of straw-colored hair. "Um... A-Amber...?"

"What?" she asked, looking at my face in confusion; when she noticed my fear and followed my gaze, she froze. "Oh, my God... it's the h-hive..."

"The who?" I whispered, not taking my eyes off them. "Who are they?"

"The hive!" Amber hissed, clutching my arm and backing away. "They're a group of criminals with the meta gene! What do we do?!"

I could only think of one thing.

"Run!" I hissed back, grabbing her arm and bolting towards the exit. "Let's go!"

"We have to get out of here!" Amber panted, following me with frenzied eyes. "Sally, hurry! Up ahead is the back entrance! Turn right once we hit the hall and run towards the exit!"

"Got it!" I croaked, breathing hard. "Once we get outside, have someone call the cops!"

Amber didn't respond: the two of us ran as fast as we could and burst into the hallway, but we skidded to a halt and let out high-pitched screams when the little bald boy dropped down from the ceiling with eight mechanical legs extending from his back. Everyone nearby instantly turned to see what was going on when we backed away from him, but before we could run again, we bumped into a solid surface.

Upon turning around, I found myself staring straight into the eyes of a lion-like boy with wild sandy-blonde hair.

I gasped in alarm and backed off, pulling Amber behind me.

My eyes flashed around for a way out, but before I could figure out an escape plan, the pink-haired girl cartwheeled herself in front of me and leaned forward.

"So," she drawled, looking around when everyone in the mall backed away in fright. "Are you the new girl who's been causing trouble with the sky?"

I felt my heart seize and stared at her with huge eyes.

"W-what?" I stammered, leaning away when she smirked at me. "What are you saying?!"

"Don't try to hide it," she snickered. "We've been watching you and your little friend for a while now. It's definitely one of you two."

"Uh oh..." Amber whispered, shoulders tensing up in alarm; she instantly pulled me back a little further. "Um, y-you guys should just stop this and leave while you still can! I may not look like it because of how small I am, but I'm a martial artist! You'd be better off not going up against me, I'm dead serious!"

"Hmm... wasn't the target supposed to be a martial artist, Jynx?" the burly man sneered, making my shoulders tense; apprehension for Amber's safety immediately swept through my gut. The redhead girl took on a fighting stance and kept her face calm when he started moving towards her, although her eyes did flicker a bit. "So, is it you? Are you the one who's been affecting the weather?"

"I wouldn't know!" Amber snapped, hands shaking a little. "It's most likely not me, but I'm still strong! So leave me and my friend alone!"

"We'll see about that," the man chuckled. "Let's see how tough you are!"

"Sounds like fun," the pink-haired girl laughed, catlike eyes looking the redhead up and down. "Let's go!"

Amber twitched when the girl dove into a cartwheel and flipped her way over: when she righted herself, the pink-haired girl began throwing punches. I was surprised when Amber managed to deflect the first three punches, but when the other girl started forcing her back, her eyes went wide and her mouth started trembling. After dodging and deflecting almost fifteen blows, my friend tried to counter attack and failed because of how rapidly she blocked it.

However, Jynx merely grinned and cartwheeled out of the way, revealing the enormous boy.

Amber's large green eyes went wide when he grinned down at her with his leg already poised to strike.

However, when he hauled back and kicked her in the shoulder with all of his strength, I covered my mouth.

Amber let out a shriek of pain, but the blow itself knocked her clean off her feet and sent her rolling through a glass window and into a department store.

Every single civilian within sight screamed and took off running when the sound of a burglar alarm filled the air.

The sound soon stretched throughout the whole mall.

"AMBER!" I shrieked, bolting over to the crying girl; other people who'd been in the store she'd crashed into turned to stare in shock as the commotion increased, what with the glass shattering and Amber crying in the center of a busted window. Lifting her off the glass, I dragged her further into the store and looked at her: thankfully, she hadn't been injured by the deadly shards, but her shoulder was dislocated and she was crying hysterically. "Amber! H-hang on!"

"What, is that all you got?" the little bald boy sneered. "Stupid cow-titty buttmuncher!"

Something within me darkened the moment he said it.

Slowly standing up, I clenched my shaking fists and turned around, jaw closed tight with rage.

"Big mistake," I hissed, pulling back and tensing my muscles. "VERY big mistake."

So saying, I leapt forward and charged at top speed: however, instead of running towards the group who'd attacked us, I ran straight for the wall with my fists pumping and my eyes focused. Just before I collided with the hard surface, I leapt into the air and used my momentum to run up the side of it: everyone who'd been watching me gasped, but they gasped even _louder_ when I lunged off the vertical surface with my hands outstretched.

I felt triumphant when I managed to grab one of the bars near the ceiling.

Flexing my muscles, I pulled myself into a handstand and began to swing myself around... and around... and around.

And then I let go, launching myself almost fifteen feet into the air.

Feeling exhilarated and pissed off at the same time, I flipped my body and twisted above the crowd, blonde hair fanning out. Everyone below me went into a frenzy, and faces turned up all over the place. Time seemed to slow and I saw large eyes staring up at me as I spun. My vision was obscured with the familiar glowing blue haze when I started coming down. Sparks flew from my body when I used my arms to spin myself at a more rapid pace.

Once I'd really gotten going, I curled them in to speed up the momentum, ignoring how dizzy this made me.

Just before I landed in front of the criminal who'd kicked Amber, I extended my leg and sent my dress shoe straight at his face. The blow connected with an unbelievable amount of force, smashing into his left cheek so hard that the shock of it surged into my own muscles almost painfully: with a scream, he was knocked clean off his feet and driven face-first into the concrete wall across the hall.

"Mammoth!" the pink-haired girl cried, then glared at me. "You'll pay for that. Gizmo! Lock everything down!"

"On it!" the little boy cackled. "Teach that pit-sniffing crud muncher a lesson!"

"With pleasure," Jynx muttered; so saying, she hopped from foot to foot and started dancing around. "You're coming with us, blondie."

"Not if I have anything to say about it, Bubblegum Head," I grimly retorted, glaring at her with glowing blue eyes. "Back off."

Her eye twitched with irritation and she angrily propelled herself forward into a handspring, throwing her whole body into the air in an attempt to kick me in the face with both feet. Reading her move, I bent over backwards and threw my head back, spreading my arms and dodging the attack. When she hit the wall, she crouched like a cat and used the gained momentum to spring herself right back at me.

I barely had time to react, so I did the one thing I could.

I twirled like a ballet dancer on one foot, arching my back and throwing one side of my body out in a limp manner.

I somehow managed to dodge her attack, if only by a hair... and what was more, I was able use the flow of my body to perform a roundhouse kick. The girl saw it coming and dodged by cartwheeling to the side, but she _didn't_ anticipate my next move. The moment she was upright, my other leg was flying at her with all of the strength I had inside my muscles. And this time, the blow actually connected with her body.

"Ow!" she spat, gripping my leg and violently flipping me off my feet. "Bitch!"

Before I could figure out what had happened, I was lying on her back and blinking up at the ceiling.

Even so, I rolled my body into a flexible handstand and sprang myself back onto my feet using my arms. Once I was upright, I dodged a few more of her attacks and sent another kick at her: I smirked in triumph when she grabbed my leg again, because this time I was ready for it. Twisting my body, I let out a scream of rage and savagely sent my other leg flying at her face. With a blow that made her entire cheek ripple, I kicked her upside the head so hard that her body flipped twice before she could even hit the ground.

However, much to my surprise, the pink-haired girl landed on her hands.

Then, those hands started glowing bright pink and everyone within the vicinity took off running for the exits.

"What the hell?!" I whispered, watching with shocked eyes when she stood upright and regarded me with glowing pink eyes.

"Today is your unlucky day," she hissed; behind her, the foul-mouthed little boy poked the enormous youth with one of his mechanical spider-legs and snickered when the giant shook himself awake. However, when he cracked his neck and casually stood up, I stiffened in alarm. "You should have just come with us when we asked."

My eyes flashed around when Gizmo, Mammoth, and Jynx slowly moved forward.

However, I barely dodged it when the girl sent a ball of glowing pink light hurling straight at me, and I didn't dodge the punch she threw my way: the blow landed hard against my stomach, but I managed to stay on my feet long enough to catch her arm. Snarling, I performed a particularly painful disarming move on her limb by twisting it in a specific way; she flinched with a startled grunt and flipped over her own arm, using the action to twist mine. I squeaked when she gripped my slender limb with both hands, gritting my teeth in pain before flipping onto my right hand and scissor-kicking both of her wrists.

She backed off for a few moments, breathing hard.

"You're pretty good," she sneered, looking into my glowing eyes with a cocky demeanor. "I'm kind of surprised."

"You're decent as well," I retorted, not lowering my guard. "But if I were you, I would leave before you piss me off."

When the girl smirked, I felt my irritation spike and couldn't hold it back any longer.

Letting myself break free of my fears, I gave into the power blooming within me.

And within seconds, the icy feeling within my body dissolved.

All hell was about to break loose.

That much, I was sure of.


	15. Chapter 14: Captured

**Author's Note:**_ I'm back! My computers crashed nearly ten months ago, and since then, all updates have been coming in via phone! I wrote everything on them, but it was agonizingly slow. Now I have a new laptop, and I'm going to be updating regularly again! Look forward to new chapters!_

_There's also a video trailer for it now, so feel free to watch it: just pop onto **youtube** and type in **'Deathstroke's Kiss.' **The first video to pop up should have a blonde girl running towards a house with a tornado in the distance._

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: Captured**

I must have lost my mind.

What I was doing... it was crazy.

Because the moment I totally lost control of my temper, every electrical appliance in the building went dark. And it hit me only after the power went out that I still was inside a mall: if I destroyed anything, even in the name of self defense, I would be getting myself into some serious trouble.

I was in a bad situation.

Even so, my whole body felt oddly weightless: I honestly felt like I could start floating at any second.

"S-Sally!" Amber shrieked, catching my attention; when I looked at her, her face was colorless and her eyes were absolutely enormous. "What's happening to you?!"

I blinked in confusion, then glanced down at myself.

My whole body was glowing blue.

I instantly twitched and glanced at a nearby shop window. When I saw a vague reflection of myself, the anger inside me was iced over with fright: my hair was literally billowing around as though I had been submerged underwater, and my limbs sparked more than a damaged electrical outlet every time I moved.

I looked like some sort of hellish lightning demon.

"W-what's... what's happening to me?!" I shrieked, backing away when my hands sparked. "What is this?! What did I do?!"

"Don't take your eyes off me," the pink-haired girl taunted, cartwheeling forward and attempting to kick me in the face. "I'm not going to hold back anymore, blondie!"

As it turned out, merely blocking the kick was enough to knock her out... because the moment her foot made contact with my cheek, the pink-haired vixen exploded away from me with a blinding flash of light similar to a lightning strike. Screaming like a madwoman, she flipped across the mall hallway and hit the wall so hard it left a miniature crater.

Then she slid to the ground and slumped over, out like a light.

The giant instantly hurried over and lifted her into his arms.

"Scud muffin!" the little bald boy shrieked, rushing over and jumping on the enormous youth's shoulder. "We'll be back!"

I didn't respond: I merely watched as they blasted a hole in the ceiling and leapt out of sight.

I stood there for a good five minutes, feeling as though I had gone into a daze, before the urgency of the situation hit me. I immediately took a deep breath and struggled to calm myself down, fighting to close the door within me. Slowly, the glow began to go out... the more I fought, the more it faded... and eventually, the odd sense of weightlessness completely dissolved. I felt extremely weak after it vanished, but I still somehow managed to make my way over to Amber.

She stared at me with a slack jaw when I knelt down and touched her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I croaked, inspecting her arm with careful fingers. "How bad does it hurt?"

"I'm fine! And that's not important right now!" the redhead stammered, looking at me with stunned eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you were a metahuman?! Why didn't you say anything?!"

I winced, then looked at the ground.

"Well, plenty of reasons, I guess," I mumbled, giving an awkward shrug. "I didn't want you to know. I figured the fewer people who knew about it, the safer everyone was, you know?"

Before I could so much as blink, she slapped me across the face.

Hard.

"Safer?!" she shrieked, looking totally outraged. "Sally, look around you! How was this safe, by any stretch?! I had no clue what was going on because _you_didn't _tell_ me anything! I mean, Christ, maybe I _would_ have known what to do in this situation if you'd have actually... oh, I don't know... been _honest _with me!"

I couldn't respond.

Touching my cheek, I slowly turned my head and looked at her, feeling so guilty that I wanted to start crying.

"Sorry," I stated quietly, finally closing my eyes. "I'll... leave now."

When I turned and attempted to stand up, I was startled since she gripped my wrist and yanked me back down.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she fumed, scowling at me. "I'm not done yet! Let me make one thing clear, you dolt: I'm pissed at you, but that_doesn't_ mean we aren't friends anymore. I mean, I probably wouldn't even _be_ this mad if we weren't still okay. So, you're going to sit your butt down until the cops arrive. Then we'll explained what happened."

"No," I stated firmly, shaking my head when she stared in disbelief. "I want to keep my abilities hidden."

"Why?" Amber demanded, narrowing her eyes. "Is there something _else_ you haven't told me?"

I stared at her with hollow eyes.

"I only figured out that I had these powers about a week ago," I told her glumly, finally looking away, "but I've apparently had them way longer than I've been aware of. My power isn't truly what you just saw, Amber... honestly, that was the first time something so strange has ever happened to me. No, my _real_ability is... well... c-controlling the weather."

Her face went slack and she gawped at me.

"Seriously?" she whispered, not believing her ears. "You can't be serious! If that's true, wouldn't it mean... by a far-fetched stretch... that _you're_ actually the reason the freak storm hit us a while back?"

"That's what Sarah and I think," I admitted, giving her a look when she did a double take. "And yes, she already knows... but before you get mad, I was the one who swore her to absolute secrecy. She asked me if we could tell you, too, but I told her that I wanted to wait. Like I said... the fewer to know, the safer."

Her eyes went blank with realization.

"Oh," the redhead muttered, touching her injured shoulder and biting her lip. "I think I'm starting to get what you mean... if people find out that you're the reason all those houses in Sarah's neighborhood were destroyed, you could get slammed with a lawsuit. And we would be in trouble, too, for keeping it a secret. Damn... but still, I wish you would have told me."

"So do I," I told her honestly, rocking back on my heels and listening as the sound of the police sirens grew louder. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever," she murmured, shaking her head. "What we need to do now is figure out our next step."

I nodded and stood up, holding out my hand to her... but Amber suddenly paused and glanced over my shoulder with a confused expression.

Then she froze like a statue.

"SALLY!" she shrieked, scrabbling backwards. "LOOK OUT!"

Not even a second later, a heavy fist smashed into my spine, right in the small of my back.

I gasped as the air was forced out of my lungs, eyes bugging out of my head as I stared at the ceiling. My vision had immediately been covered in prickling spots: time seemed to slow down as I floundered for air. I couldn't breathe... I couldn't talk... hell, I couldn't even scream or cry. Even though tears began running down my face from the pain, I couldn't take a single breath.

Then, my knees gave out and I was being cradled in the nook of someone's strong arm.

I could barely see his face through the swarm of spots in front of my eyes, but I thought I saw yellow... with odd flecks of green and blue. Wild sideburns and a soul patch... long hair... the same boy who'd been attacking me a few minutes before had come back.

"Gotcha, Goldilocks," he snickered, waggling his eyebrows, "shouldn't have let your guard down."

Right around that moment, the police burst into the building and lifted their weapons.

"FREEZE!" one of them roared. "PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!"

"NO!" Amber screeched, flailing her arms. "DON'T SHOOT! HE HAS MY FRIEND! HE'S GOT A HOSTAGE!"

When he whirled around and held my limp body up with both arms like a trophy, I felt like I was going to faint.

All I could do was struggle for air like a fish out of water.

"Let her go!" Amber wailed, struggling to her feet and flying forward with her good hand outstretched; screaming like a banshee, she repeatedly hit him in the side. "LET HER GO! LET SALLY GO, YOU FREAK!"

Without so much as blinking, the boy whirled around and kicked her upside the head; my eyes widened in horror when she went flying a second time and smacked the wall. When she slid to the floor and lay there without moving, I swore I could hear it when my heart stopped for a brief moment in time.

"A... Amber...?" I choked, eyes filling with terrified tears. "Amber! AMBER!"

My captor cut my words off by crushing my face against his hairy armpit and tucking my body close to his chest.

I nearly fainted from the mere shock of his actions.

"BAHAHAA!" the giant cackled, looking up at the hole in the ceiling; when a metallic rope went flying out of it, he leapt into the air and caught it with one arm. "Smell you later, pigs!"

I flailed my legs, struggling to breathe, when I was pulled out of the building and onto the roof. I couldn't move my arms or my legs at all, not even when the boy finally pulled my face out of his armpit and let me breathe. I honestly could have died from the relief: I had never been as close to a male as I was right then, and let me tell you!

I never wanted to get that close again, because his underarm smelled fucking disgusting.

"You got her," the pink-haired girl sneered, smiling in a fox-like manner. "Let's get back to base. The others have probably captured the other targets already. Let's not disappoint the Hive."

"Why are you doing this?!" I spat through gritted teeth, glaring at her. "I don't know what you're planning, but if you think I want to have anything to do with you creeps, you're dead wrong! Let me go! Right now!"

"Are you sure you want that?" the girl asked, looking at her nails. "Mammoth, go ahead."

I nearly lost my shit when he tossed me in the air, snatched me by the throat, and let me dangle above the hole in the mall's ceiling. I flailed my legs and clutched his wrists with both hands, frantically trying to find something to put my feet on... but there was nothing beneath me.

"HELP!" I wailed, not even realizing that there were six police officers looking up at me. "HELP ME!"

"Oh?" the girl asked, casually walking forward and smirking at me. "So you _do_ want our help?"

"NOT YOU, BITCH!" I snarled, glaring at her. "There are police officers down there! Someone will come!"

"Even if they do," the pink-haired villain chuckled, poking my cheek and watching with victorious eyes as a flash of fuchsia light sparked against my skin, "now that you've been touched by my power, you'll end up either getting hurt or hurting whoever decides to be a hero if we decide to drop you. Your fall might even kill one of those pathetic pigs."

My eyes widened in horror.

"K-kill?!" I squeaked, halting with my flailing. "W-what do you mean?!"

"Exactly what you heard," the girl told me, batting her long black lashes with an innocent smile. "I cursed you with bad luck. If you fall right now, you'll either die or kill whoever wants to save you. Do you really want that?"

I could only stared at her with horror on my face.

"N-no," I whispered, swallowing hard. "I don't."

"Then be a good little bimbo and shut your little blonde mouth until we're done with you," she giggled, then nodded at the boy clutching my throat. Bringing his other fist up, he nailed me in the stomach as hard as he could. "Gizmo... Mammoth... let's go."

By the time he tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, I very nearly blacked out.

I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't feel anything, and I couldn't see.

But I was aware.

Even though I could no longer move, and even though my eyes were closed... I could sense what was happening.

They were fleeing from the police.

I don't know how long they ran... or even where they ran to... but in the end, they must have gotten to their destination.

Because I suddenly found myself jerked off the giant's shoulder and thrown onto the ground without warning.

I landed heavily on my stomach since I didn't have the strength to shield my fall.

After a few minutes, I struggled to lift my head, but I could barely move.

I heard muffled crying somewhere nearby, and there was a fierce growling overlaying it... but for the most part, I couldn't move my body. Plus, if I was going to be completely honest... I felt like something in the center of my chest was broken.

It hurt to breathe.

So much that I honestly felt like I was going to cry.

After a few more moments of lying prone on the floor, I carefully curled my legs up and struggled to shift my weight in order to look around. I shivered when I saw several living shadows sitting huddled in the darkest corners of the room. I instantly struggled to sit up but halted with a wheezing gasp when my ribs popped.

"Ow..." I whined, instantly lying back down. "Fucking bastards... I think they broke my ribs..."

"Eh?!" a surprisingly young voice suddenly gasped. "I know that voice! M-M-Miss Sally?! Is that you?!"

I blinked, then lifted my head weakly, struggling to see.

"How do you know my name?" I croaked, struggling to get my senses working. "I'm having trouble hearing after what they did to me, so it's hard to recognize your voice... who are you?"

"It's me! Tyler Babbowitz!" the speaker cried; all of a sudden, a flash of fire lit up the dark room and I stared; I was alarmed to realize that I was indeed looking at the little pyromaniac. However, even more shocking was the fact that there were two other people trapped in the same room with us. "Eh?! Miss Sally, your mouth is bleeding!"

"I wouldn't doubt it," I told him, letting my head flop back down against the ground. "They kicked the crap out of me. All I wanted to do was have a regular girl's day out and go shopping at the mall."

Tyler instantly crawled forward and touched my hair with the hand that wasn't engulfed with flames.

"They hurt you, too?!" he asked, eyes large with fright. "They must be super villains, then!"

"I guess so," I snorted, turning my head and looking at him in confusion. "Anyway, how did you end up in here? Don't tell me you went looking for more trouble..."

"No, I didn't! Pinkie promise!" he stammered, mouth trembling as he touched my arm. "A scary group of villains showed up at the park today and took me away! It was so scary, but nobody helped me! Even though I started calling them strangers and screamed for someone to help, everyone in the park just watched them!"

"Are you serious?!" I squealed, lifting my head and gawking at him in horrified outrage. "Are you saying those assholes just let them take you?! Without doing anything to stop them?!"

"Y-yes," he sniffled, rubbing his eyes. "They didn't help me."

When he started crying, one of the figures sitting in the corner hesitantly crawled forward. He was big, and his back was oddly hunched... but perhaps that was because he was wearing a huge, hooded, zip-up sweatshirt that covered his whole face. It was a bizarre piece of clothing, because aside from two mesh-covered holes for his eyes, I couldn't actually see what his face looked like.

"It'll be all right, kid," he stated firmly, putting a gloved hand on Tyler's shoulders; I was actually kinda surprised by how deep and husky his voice sounded. "We'll get you home after we figure out what these freaks want with our powers."

"You mean you have powers, too?" I asked, looking at him with a wary expression. "Is that why they kidnapped all of us?"

"As far as I can tell, every single person in here has the Metagene," the hooded boy confirmed, turning to look at me; I blinked when his shoulders stiffened slightly. For a long moment, he merely faced my direction. "You... you're dying. Shit."

"Huh?" I whispered, blinking again when he lifted his gloved hands and frantically scrabbled to unzip his hood. "I am...?"

When he failed miserably in his attempt, he cursed and dragged his gloves off.

What I saw didn't make sense: his hands were covered in jet-black fur, and where his nails should have been were huge, three inch claws. I stared at them with a dazed sense of disbelief and watched as he unzipped his hoodie. However, when his face was exposed, my mouth fell open and all I could do was stare. The first thing I really noticed were his ears: where a normal person's ears should have been, two extremely long, triangular, fur-covered black things were sticking out of his head. His eyes were distinctly slanted and a very vibrant shade of green, and his pupils were thin like a cat's.

After a moment, he shed his hoodie... and I froze, not believing my eyes.

Two, enormous jet black wings had unfurled themselves from under the cloth.

This boy looked like the textbook definition of a demon: aside from the bizarre furry ears sticking out of his skull, the enormous ebony wings stretching out of his back, and the jet black fur growing on his arms, up his navel, and down his spine... his upper torso was relatively human in nature. I tried not to flinch when he crawled closer and slid his arms beneath my body, using his grip to heft me onto his lap. I blinked when he looked down at me with what could have passed off as a worried expression. Then, lifting his clawed hand, he gently pressed it against my stomach.

Right where I had been punched.

I shivered when his eyes flared from green to neon yellow.

But then... somehow... a soothing sensation spread throughout my belly and extended to the farthest corners of my being. I closed my eyes and basked in the sensation, finding it to be an utterly wonderful feeling. The sensation was akin to sliding into a warm, relaxing bath after running through a blizzard in the nude.

It was wonderful.

Then the feeling faded, and all of a sudden, I no longer felt like I was in pain.

The weakness was still present, but I was no longer hurting.

"You should be fine now," he purred, giving me an awkward, goofy grin; I blinked when I noticed that he had some rather sharp-looking canines resting in his mouth. "Don't worry too much."

"What did you do?" I asked, not bothering to move; his lap was surprisingly comfortable. "I don't hurt anymore."

"That's my power," he stated, giving me a curt nod. "I can sense life... and I can also heal wounds."

"His name is Xaphile," Tyler mumbled, touching his own elbow with a blink. "He's really nice. He made all my scrapes go away when I was put here, too."

"Mine, too," another female voice stated grimly, making me stiffen. "I got fucked up pretty bad since I fought back against the bastards who tried to kidnap me. I have no doubt I was half-dead when they first threw me in here."

I recognized that voice.

"M-Marie?!" I squeaked, staring at the girl's barely-visible husky blue eyes in horror. "What are you doing here?!"

"I was kidnapped, just like you," she snorted, not looking away. "I didn't have a choice. They took all the children living with us hostage... and they even hurt Miss Figgins when she tried to intervene."

I bolted upright, looking at her with shock all over my face.

"They hurt Miss Figgins?!" I whispered, staring at her in horror. "What did they do?! How bad was she hurt?!"

"I don't know how bad, but it was enough to knock her unconscious," Marie muttered, shaking her head. "I've tried slipping under the door, but it looks like we can't get out of here with my limited abilities. We're trapped."

"Come on, it isn't all that bad," Xaphile muttered, shrugging his hoodie back on; after zipping it up, he floundered to drag his gloves over his furry hands. "Really, cheer up already! We'll find a way out of this! And once we do, I'll heal every single person those assholes hurt before we part ways, I promise! Don't worry about your friends!"

"Do you really think we can escape?" Marie asked, slowly lifting her head from where she'd buried it in her knees. "Look around you. There's only one door, and this room is made of some sort of bizarre substance that repels my powers."

I took the opportunity to take note of where I was.

It wasn't impressive... just a big square box, really.

I immediately shuddered and clutched my head with both hands.

"Well, if that's the case…" Xaphile mumbled, scratching the side of his hoodie. "How, exactly, do we get out of here?"

"On a plate, naturally!" Marie sweetly retorted, not bothering to hide her sarcasm. "Surrounded by potatoes and carrots."

"You mean they're going to eat us?!" Tyler shrieked, instantly bursting into tears. "I don't want to get eaten! I want to go home to Mommy!"

I instantly sent a glare in Marie's direction and pulled Tyler into a hug.

"We'll be fine," I soothed, rubbing his back. "Once they come back, we'll muscle our way out of here!"

"And how do you presume we do that?" Marie snorted, giving me a sour look. "You and the little pyro might have a shot since you have some pretty powerful abilities, but me and the kitten won't have a chance."

"Kitten?" the hooded male snorted, instantly turning and giving her an unseen glare. "Who are you calling a kitten?"

"You have furry ears, claws, fangs, kitty eyes, and fucking lion's tail," Marie drawled, giving him a sarcastic leer. "Not even counting the fact that your lower torso resembles a mountain cat's."

"How rude!" he bellowed, clasping his backside. "You actually looked at my body even _after_ all that crap we went through?!"

"It was kind of hard _not_ to see anything, considering your furry balls were literally squashed against my face when you landed on top of me!" Marie shrieked, turning bright red and finally losing her cool; I twitched and immediately covered Tyler's ears, flushing a little myself. "I mean, Christ, man! Your junk was right there! And yeah, I saw what your legs looked like before they gave you some pants to cover up your furry, naked ass! You look like a fucking satyr of some sort!"

The hooded boy instantly scooted away from her and buried his face in his knees, shivering all over.

"Stop talking about my looks already!" he whined, planting his gloved hands on his ears. "I get it! I'm a freak, all right?! You don't need to point it out! And seriously, I'm sorry you had to see something so vulgar... those supernatural bastards burst into my apartment without any warning, so I literally had no time to get dressed! I barely managed to grab my gloves!"

"Who cares," I sighed, lowering my eyes. "It doesn't matter what he looks like, Marie: it's not a big deal. The guy's on our side, and he's obviously not a bad person. Let it go. What we need to do is figure out a plan to get the hell out of here!"

"And how the hell do we do that?!" Marie snapped, glaring at me. "Like I said, there's nothing I can do to help with this, so if something happens, I won't be able to protect myself!"

"How about you start with telling me what your powers are," I snapped back just as fiercely, coldly returning her glare. "In order to figure out a plan, we seriously need to know what we're all capable of! That's the first step!"

Marie closed her mouth and blinked at me.

"I can... make people feel insanely happy," the girl muttered, flushing bright red and carefully averting her eyes. "I can also put them into a trance, or make them fall asleep on a whim, but those abilities only work if they somehow make eye-contact with me. My biggest power, however, happens to be turning myself into a mist that knocks people out. It seriously takes a lot out of me, but I _can_ do it. I actually tried to get under the door like that earlier."

"Good start," I stated simply, then looked at the boy rocking back and forth in the corner. "What about you, Xaphile? Can you do anything aside from healing people?"

"No," he stated firmly, then paused and lifted his head. "Actually, scratch that: I can breathe fire if I get pissed enough. But aside from the fire breath, sensing life forces, and healing things... all I've really got is a bit of novice Karate on my side."

It was in that moment that I realized we might actually be able to pull off getting away from our kidnappers.

"Tyler, can you control all forms of fire?" I asked, pulling away from the little boy and looking down at him. "Can you make fire do whatever you want?"

"Yes," he mumbled, looking away from me, "but Mommy says its dangerous to play with fire."

"She's right, kiddo: it _is_ dangerous to play with fire," I confirmed, then tilted his head up and forced him to meet my eyes with the most serious expression I could muster, "but today, you aren't going to be playing with fire. You're going to be using it as a tool. We need your help in order to get through whatever might come our way."

"Can we really do this?" Marie asked, looking at me with apprehensive eyes. "Do you really think we have a shot?"

"Yes," I stated firmly, giving her a nod. "I truly believe that we have a chance at getting away from here."

"How?" Xaphile demanded, looking at me with a confused posture. "What kind of power do _you_ have?"

I blinked, then gave him a dark look.

"Me?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Well, this is only an idea... but if you can take away people's fatigue, too, you might actually be able to help me pull this off. Can you do that?"

"Yes, but that doesn't answer my question," he pointed out, folding his arms. "What's your power? And why do you need my help to use it?"

"Simple: I can control the weather," I told him, then looked up at the ceiling; picturing a twister inside my head, I felt my rage unleash itself and shuddered when my eyes were obscured with a glowing blue haze. "Things are about to get really stormy outside. Trust me. And since you can cure fatigue, please do so... right now: I'll need your help to keep the storm going, okay? It seriously takes a lot out of me. Also... can you tell me if anyone is nearby?"

When he tilted his head, I waited with a calm visage, but inside I was praying nobody was around.

"As far as I can tell, there's not a single soul outside the door," he warily admitted, "but let's not get hasty: remember, Marie can't use her powers effectively in this room, and I won't deny that something felt off with my healing abilities."

"Even if that's the case, I'm still going to try to get us out of here," I stated firmly, shaking my head. "Once we're free, we'll need you to be the one to sense if there are other people around. If there are, we'll either go around or fight them. Now, scoot as close to me as you can: I'm going to try and make windstorm strong enough to destroy the door."

When everyone scooted over, I felt something inside me click.

Then, Xaphile took one of his gloves off and set his clawed hand on my back.

Strength flooded through me, making the blue luminescence brighten until there were beams shooting out of my skull.

And it was in that moment... that the true strength of my powers awakened for the first time.


	16. Chapter 15: Titans, Go!

**Chapter Fifteen: Titans, Go!**

The sky above had turned dark.

People all over Jump City had stopped what they were doing to stare at the storm front roaring across the vast plains of blue resting high above. However... on a specific island in the bay, floating above an enormous T-shaped tower, was a teenage girl who wasn't even focused on the world around her. A girl who didn't even notice the changing weather.

She was sitting cross-legged in the air, chanting something over and over in a very calm, relaxed tone.

"Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos..." she murmured, voice coming out in a monotonous drone. "Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos."

Her dark, shoulder-length hair lifted in the growing wind, billowing behind her and gleaming in the light.

It wasn't until a raindrop hit her cheek that her eyes slid open.

Blinking once, she lifted her head and looked at the sky.

Her violet eyes darkened when she saw the rapidly-forming storm expanding from a spot somewhere further in the city. Silently getting to her feet, she grumpily pulled her hood up and engulfed herself in shadow before phasing through the rooftop and down into the common room. Feeling particularly grumpy, she sat down on the big red couch that encircled the living room of Titan's Tower and contemplated her course of action.

Robin was the only other person in the room, and he was snoring loudly with his head back.

Out like a light.

"I can't keep ignoring her actions if she continues to cause problems with Jump City's weather forecasts," Raven croaked in a monotonous manner, pointedly using her telekinetic abilities to lift the remote and turn the television on; with a taught jaw, she changed the channel until the news flashed across the screen.

Her eye instantly twitched.

Blaring across the screen in bold letters was an alarming headline.

The reporter was also as hyper as usual.

"-and it's actually rather disturbing to note that all of the hostages were taken in broad daylight," the man was in the middle of saying, holding his microphone. "Several people were injured trying to prevent the kidnappings, and as of right now, there is no information on what's happening to the child and three adolescents who were taken! If anyone has any news regarding the victims, please let us know!"

Raven's eye twitched again and she furrowed her brows when four faces flashed across the screen.

The first was a young boy who couldn't have been more than six or seven. He had dark hair, large brown eyes, and an adorable smile with a gap between his teeth. The second was a very shy-looking young man who seemed to be attempting to hide his face with the hood on his jacket: he was smiling with soft green eyes and an awkward expression. The third was a girl with dyed blue hair, arctic blue eyes, several piercings, and a bad girl smirk. And the fourth was...

Raven stood up, not believing her eyes.

It was a school photo of a gentle-eyed girl with blonde curls, long blonde lashes, a heart-shaped face, and an awkward smile. In it, she was wearing the same uniform Raven had always seen her in. Turning her head, she glanced out the windows of the common room and looked right at the epicenter of the forming storm with disbelieving eyes.

Then she turned back to the television.

"This just in!" the reporter suddenly stated, eyes widening as he was handed a piece of paper. "We now have video footage of two of the kidnappings! We've been told that the footage inside is not appropriate for children. Be warned: what you're about to see may shock and disturb you."

When the footage cut out and a video began to play, Raven watched with furrowed brows.

It was a video taken from a security camera... two girls wearing what looked like private school uniforms were browsing through a museum of some sort, but then, one of them jumped backwards and fell over the other. Raven's eye twitched a third time when the two girls rolled over on their backs and laughed, since it was then that she saw their faces.

There was no doubt: those girls were the same ones she'd confronted at Murakami Academy.

Raven continued watching, since the cameras switched to different angles.

But then, the blonde girl suddenly turned... and froze, looking at something.

Immediately whipping around, she gripped her friend's arm and ran into the next room. Once there, she doubled over... but then, she stood up and clung to her friend's arm before pointing at something off camera: the other girl turned as well before freezing and backing up a step. Both girls seemed to shrink, but then they whirled around and ran out of sight.

The cameras shifted again, revealing a hallway just as the high school students ran into it.

However, Raven actually gasped when Gizmo dropped down in front of them and forced the girls to halt.

Then Mammoth appeared behind them, and Jynx cartwheeled into view.

She watched with cold eyes as the redhead lifted her arms and started to defend herself against the pink-haired villain, but the empath's eye twitched yet again when Mammoth kicked her and sent her flying through a glass window. The blonde instantly bolted over, pulling her out of harms way... but then, she whirled around and charged at them.

A shocking battle took place after that, making Raven feel kind of alarmed.

The blonde girl had somehow managed to fend of Jynx, Gizmo, AND Mammoth by herself...

Then, the camera flickered and stopped playing.

Without warning, the reporter was back on screen.

"That is where the footage ends due to the Mall losing power," he stated frantically, flipping through his papers "However, police reports say that brave young girl who stood up to the villains was eventually knocked unconscious and kidnapped!"

"What about the other girl, Donald?" the woman sitting next to him asked. "Any news on her?"

"Well, the other young lady's condition is as of yet unknown," he allowed, looking at the woman with a nod, "but according to a bystander who witnessed the scene, she's apparently been taken to the hospital. We hope to hear more on that later. The second video was taken from a phone and is a little more graphic: viewer discretion is advised."

With a nod, he looked at the camera and the image on the screen shifted again.

Raven suddenly saw herself looking at the back of a blue-haired girl wearing a black t-shirt, a plaid red skirt, fishnet stockings, and black goth boots. She was standing in front of four other children, plus the one holding the phone, with her arms spread: in front of them were three villains she recognized: Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Seemore.

"M-Marie, what do we do?!" a little girl with glasses and pigtails stammered, quietly bursting into tears. "Why do the monsters want to hurt us?!"

"I don't know, Mimi, but I swear I won't let them touch you," the blue-haired girl lowly told her, backing up and pressing the children against the wall when the monstrosities thundered forward. "I SWEAR! YOU B-***** HAD BETTER LEAVE THESE CHILDREN ALONE! GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR HOME! FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, WE'VE ALL SUFFERED ENOUGH!"

Raven's eye twitched yet again, feeling grateful that they'd blocked out the profanity.

"You think we WANT to be attacking an orphanage?" Seemore asked, swaggering up to her and gripping her chin; the girl flinched when he jerked her head close to his. "We're not here for any of these brats. We're here for you, Maria Spearson!"

The girl jumped and shivered violently, arms quivering.

"H-how... do you know my last name?!" she squeaked, leaning away from him. "I never told anybody! The only people who know it are my school principle and the women who work here! Who the hell _are_ you?!"

"That's none of your concern, sweetiepie," the boy chuckled, lifting his visor. "Just come with us quietly and the children won't get hurt."

"Kiss my a-**, you son of a f-***** b-***!" Marie shrieked, lifting her hands and chopping him in the neck on both sides; when he went down like a sack of potatoes, the girl whirled around and dragged all five children standing behind her into the nearest bedroom, where a chubby black woman was waiting with four more little ones cowering against the wall. "Miss Figgins! Where the hell are Sally and Amber?!"

"I don't know, Chile," the woman stammered; when the camera turned, it was revealed that three very elderly women were also standing near the children, each of them fearfully holding makeshift weapons. Their arsenal consisted of two frying pans and a metal ladel. "Sally and Lil' Amber should have been home by now! Lordy, I hope them poor girls are all right..."

"LOOK! THE DOOR!" a little boy squealed. "UNDER THE DOOR!"

Marie whirled around and gasped, staggering backwards when she realized something pink and disgusting was oozing under the door. Then, before anyone could react, the wall was blown in and Cinderblock went straight for her. However, Raven's eyes widened when the black woman lunged at the girl and shoved her out of the way.

She took the brunt of the blow.

Everyone screamed when she was sent crashing through the wall and out into the street.

"MAMA!" Marie screeched, whirling around with horror on her face; turning with a glare and tears filling her eyes, she snatched one of the frying pans out of the elderly matron's hands and let out a scream of rage, furiously charging at the stone monstrosity. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU, F-****! GET OUT OF MY GOD DAMN HOUSE!"

Raven was amazed to see the girl lunge onto the creature's arm.

The camera quivered when she angrily scrambled up to his shoulders; then, lifting the pan, she repeatedly started bashing Cinderblock in the head with all of her strength, furious tears streaming from her eyes. However, she didn't see the monster's hand coming up behind her: when it snatched her around the middle, Marie let out a yip of alarm and all of the children screamed again when she was smashed against the wall.

Then he did it again, and again, and again until the barrier exploded.

By that point, the girl had literally been knocked completely unconscious.

Her legs dangled and her head lolled, blood streaming from her nose.

Cinderblock carried her limp form out into the open.

"MARIAAAAA!" the child holding the phone wailed, rushing towards the hole in the wall. "MARIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Matilda!" a voice sobbed, making the camera whirl; one of the old matrons was bent over the black woman lying in the street, shakily performing CPR. "Matilda, come on, love, breathe! Breathe! Open your eyes, you raving idiot! You're much too young to die! I will have none of it, so breathe! For Christ's sake! Don't leave the children behind! They need you!"

"MAMA FIGGINS!" a little girl wailed. "IS SHE OKAY?!"

All of the children either burst into tears or ran over to the unconscious woman, including the one holding the phone.

"MAMA! WAKE UP!" a little boy bawled. "PLEASE WAKE UP!"

"Don't go to heaven like Mommy and Daddy did!" a toddler, who couldn't have been older than three, sobbed. "Mama Figgy! Don't go to heaven! Pleaaaase!"

By the time the footage ended with the woman gasping for breath, Raven had covered her mouth with a thin hand.

Then, a crack of thunder split the air, and the power inside the tower went out for a moment.

A few seconds later, the high-tech generators restarted themselves.

However, Raven was looking out at the storm: something needed to be done, and fast, if those villains were involved. Just as she turned to go, however, her belt went off with the distress signal; simultaneously, Robin's communicator played the same melody and he snapped awake, blinking blearily behind his mask.

"What in the world?" the Titan leader muttered, standing upright in an instant; he glanced up at Raven, who looked at him before nodding at the television. "Huh?"

"If it's about that, I already understand the situation," she said simply, turning and heading for the stairs. "I'll send you the location to rendezvous at once I'm there. I already have a feeling that I know exactly where we need to go."

"Raven, wait," Robin called. "We don't know..."

He shook his head with a sigh since the hooded girl was already gone.

Then, hurrying over to the computer, he slapped the alarm button to gather the Titans in the common room.

This situation was about to get seriously out of hand.

Especially considering the storm had hit its peak.


	17. Chapter 16: Thunder Roar

**Chapter Sixteen: Thunder Roar **

I was afraid of the power coursing through me... terrified, in fact.

Even though the others were around me, lending their support, I was afraid of the repercussions that creating a twister in the middle of the city would cause. However, just as the ice inside me hit its peak and felt like it would start shooting out of my body, the metal door was kicked open. And all four of us yelped, jerking away from it.

When someone stomped inside, I instantly squeezed my eyes shut, hoping whoever it was wouldn't see the glow I knew was residing there. However, as it turned out, my actions were pointless: before I could so much as twitch, he grabbed my hair.

"OW!" I shrieked, eyes flying open wide as I was jerked off the ground and into the air by none other than Mammoth himself; letting out a scream, I grabbed my attacker's wrist and tried to lessen the weight being put on my head, kicking my legs. "Ow, ow, ow! Ow! Let go of me, you horrible brute! Let go of my hair! It really hurts!"

"Good, girly," he sneered, jerking my face within an inch of his own and smirking at me with fierce yellow eyes. "I'm into shit like that. Squeal some more."

I shivered and stared at him in horror, literally feeling the blood drain from my face.

"Y-y-y-you pervert!" I screeched, flailing around and repetitively kicking him to the best of my abilities. "Get off me! Get off!"

"Not a chance," Mammoth purred, smirk widening into a sadistic grin. "Jynx said that I can do whatever I want to you if you don't stop fucking with the weather."

"If you so much as _think_ of doing something vulgar to Sally with me sitting here," Maria stated coldly, slowly getting to her feet and flicking her cerulean hair out of her eyes, "I give you my word that you'll never be able to reproduce once I get done with you."

I locked my jaw and tried to keep from bursting into tears when he jerked me back and forth. My head was really starting to hurt... I honestly thought he would rip my hair clean out of my skull if he kept jerking me around like he was.

"What'cha gonna do, pipsqueak?" he chuckled, flinging me against the wall and roughly groping my breasts; I let out a squeak only a split second before my face went totally white, jaw locking in outrage and shoulders tensing up. "Damn... she may be a tiny little thing, but she's got a nice rack."

I had frozen up: my eyes were blank and I couldn't do anything but stare at the wall with my head tucked into my shoulders like a frightened turtle. I was so far beyond shocked that nothing could have described just how powerful the feeling was. However, Marie's eyes actually turned dark and Xaphile actually tensed.

"Don't touch her," the bizarre-looking young man growled, finally rising to his feet and tossing his gloves off to the side. "Remove your hands from her, this instant."

"You creep!" Marie spat, clenching her fists. "Get your filthy hands off my foster sister!"

I shrieked when he grabbed my blazer and ripped it open, arms flying up in horror.

"STOP!" I screeched, jerking away from him in terror. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

When the first three buttons on my blazer were ripped off, Marie let out a snarl and charged forward. Similarly, Xaphile's hand twitched and he lunged towards the hulking youth with a hiss. But, without so much as looking at the enraged teens, the giant kicked them both upside the head with a single blow and sent them crashing into the wall.

Tyler let out a blubbering wail when Xaphile crumpled to a heap beside him.

Similarly, Marie slid down to the ground and fell to all fours.

Groaning and barely conscious, she clutched her forehead and kept it pressed against the floor.

"Ow..." she whined. "That hurt."

"Looks like nobody's gonna save you, girly," Mammoth sneered, leering down at me in a way that made my blood run cold. "You going to comply with us or will I actually get to have some fun for once? I'm hopin' you keep it up, but hey... I _do_ have my orders."

"I'm not going to listen to you! Freak!" I snapped, sliding away from him and pressing myself against the wall; I forcibly dragged my blazer closed, covering the white button-up shirt resting beneath it with a shaken expression. "If you ever touch me like that again, I swear to God _and_ all of his Angels that I will _cripple_ you!"

"That's what I wanted to hear," he cackled, making me trembled. "Let's go, Goldilocks."

My heart skipped a beat when he charged at me, almost moving faster than my own eyes could register. I dove to the side with an involuntary shriek, rolling into a crouch as he turned quicker than a bolt of lightning and lunged toward me again. I quickly propelled myself into a twisting cartwheel, flipping my legs over my head and kicking the boy squarely in the chin before springing myself away with a cry of pain. Landing haphazardly, I clutched my foot in agony.

It had felt like kicking a brick instead of flesh.

I tensed when he charged at me again and dodged, rolling sharply to the left and slamming myself against the wall as he tore past. It was extremely hard to move in such a confined area, and even harder to keep away from his horrible hands.

Xaphile and Marie were still out of it, and Tyler was crying in the corner.

I had to handle this by myself.

"Quit moving around!" he barked, lunging for me again. "I hate the speedy ones!"

"Good!" I snapped, jumping backwards and frantically skipping around. "Creeper!"

Instead of responding, he focused on my movements... and because of it, I slipped up.

The next time he lunged at me, I jumped away and swiveled to the right... but it was only when I saw his grin that I realized what was coming. Before I had any time to react or move, he whirled in a circle and swept my legs out from beneath me.

I gasped when I hit the ground, bracing myself not even a millisecond before his body slammed into mine with the force of a cement truck. He nearly crushed me under his weight. He tried to pin my wrists down, but I twisted them free of his grasp the way my martial arts teacher had taught me to do and momentarily got both of my arms loose.

I instantly used the opportunity to punch him in the nose as hard as I could.

"GET OFF ME!" I shrieked, repeatedly hitting him with frenzied eyes. "GET OFF! GET OFF! PERVERT! CREEP! PEDO! OFF! NOW!"

Although it hurt my knuckles like a bitch, it stunned him long enough for me to take a breath of air. When he growled and attempted to hit me back, however, I jerked my head to the side and dodged the blow; his knuckles crushed the concrete and left a crumbled indent right next to my left cheek. My heart fluttered rapidly and I felt like I was going to pass out from the shock.

That blow would have either killed me or crushed my face beyond repair if he'd landed it.

"Let's see how long you can keep this up!" he laughed, quickly straddling my waist and sadistically looking down at me. "Get ready, Goldilocks!"

When he drew his fist back, I yelped and jerked my head to the other side, flinching as he crushed the concrete. The blue haze behind my eyes did nothing but increase in opacity when he repeated the process several more times. Then came the moment when he caught me off guard. I was forced to clasp my hands around his wrist to prevent my face from being smashed.

I barely stopped him in time, but my resistance actually took him by surprise.

"Get... off... me...!" I wheezed, fighting against him with all of my strength. "Stop... it!"

"Not a chance," Mammoth cackled, narrowing his eyes. "This is too much fun."

We struggled, then: my endurance against his brute strength.

However, I was horrified when Tyler spontaneously combusted, body exploding into flames.

"Stop it! Let go of Sally!" he screamed, angrily running over to us and beating against the brute's arm with both fists; I watched with stunned eyes as the giant's arm caught fire, but his face didn't even twitch. "Let go of Miss Sally right now! You... you criminal!"

"Tyler, no!" I hissed through my clenched teeth, squeezing my eyes shut and straining my muscles so hard against Mammoth's fist that my entire upper body shook. "Stay back! Please… _get back right now_!"

"No! He's trying to hurt you! I can't get back! I hate him!" Timothy cried, flames melting his clothing. "I won't just sit back and let him do what all the bad guys do!"

"Urrrgh… Tyler Babbowitz…" I wheezed out with as much force as I could muster. "Get… back… this… _instant_!"

I pushed against Mammoth's fist so hard that I heard and felt my joints cracking in my arms, neck, and both of my shoulders. I watched the villain's face pull back into a hideous snarl when Timothy's flame-powered blows became too irritating.

"BACK OFF, BRAT!" he roared, finally turning and slamming the little kid in the chest so hard that he went flying. My heart nearly stopped when I heard the snapping of multiple bones as he was knocked against the wall. "Stupid twerp!"

That's when it happened.

The moment he smirked at me again, something within me snapped open.

A door that had been hidden within me, waiting until that moment in time to reveal the power that lay behind it, came open and let forth a hellishly cold sensation. My mind became abnormally calm and I felt my trembling go still.

"How dare you…?" I hissed, growling like a wild animal; the blue haze nearly blinded me, pulsing brighter and brighter behind my eyes as strength seeped into my limbs. Under my hands, I could feel him growing weaker and weaker. "You piece of shit..."

I was finding it easier and easier to fight him.

And his face was slowly tensing up with confusion and anxiety.

"What are you doing?!" he barked, muscles bulging out as he fought to keep me pinned down against the floor. "Stop moving!"

"HOW DARE YOU?!" I roared, glaring up into his eyes with malice. "HOW DARE YOU?!"

The shock on his face soon became fear, however, for I was now crushing the same hand that had tried to crush me. The iciness felt like it was gathering in my lungs, prickling almost painfully, like it was going to burst out of me if I didn't do anything.

I had to do something.

I would freeze to death if I didn't let the iciness out... it was too intense.

I would die.

So, I did the only thing I could think of... the only thing that seemed natural in this situation: taking a deep breath, and filling my lungs as deeply as I could... I arched my back and forced a horrible, prickling scream out of my throat.

What I wasn't expecting was for something other than sound to come out of my mouth.

Because that's exactly what happened.

My eyes flashed with enough light that it could have filled up a dark hallway only a split second before a wall of blinding electricity flew out of my mouth. As I screamed, the raw power sent the boy on top of me flying through so hard into the ceiling that he smashed through it... and continued going. I watched with huge, half-blinded eyes as he went flying through nearly twenty more ceilings before the sky was revealed. Then he disappeared, scream already fading.

When I finally stopped wailing and the blindingly bright power vanished, a horrifying clap of thunder shook the whole room with a deafening bang, mixing with the dying echo of my awful scream. I couldn't do anything but lie on my back, arms resting limply as I heaved for air. My hair was plastered against my skin and I could barely move.

But I somehow managed to sit up and summoned a shred of the ice.

Opening my mouth again, I took a deep breath and let out another shriek.

Once again, lightning exploded from my esophagus and blasted the door off its hinges.

Breathing hard, I turned and limply dragged myself over to Tyler, trying not to faint before I could check on him. He was lying on his side, completely naked, and clutching his arm with tears streaming from his eyes: however, he wasn't making a sound.

"Tyler..." I rasped, stunned to realize that my voice sounded as though it was gone. "Tyler... are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

"My arm," he whimpered, eyes shifting to look at me. "It... it... looks wrong, but I can't feel it or move it anymore. It doesn't hurt."

"Let me see," I instantly commanded, peeling his fingers off of his elbow; I nearly choked when his injured arm slid in a direction an arm was never supposed to go. "Oh, my G... u-u-um, don't worry, T-Tyler, you'll be fine! Let's just get out of here!"

It was the only thing I could say: I couldn't think of anything else.

Crawling over to Xaphile and Marie, I shook them both until they sat up.

"What... happened?" the hooded boy groggily demanded. "I... did I...?"

"You got knocked out," I carefully informed him, jerking his arm and gesturing at Tyler, "but right now, you need to help him! His arm... fix his arm, if it's possible!"

The dazed youth turned, but the moment he saw the poor kid's mangled limb, he twitched.

"What did that bastard do?!" he cried, crawling forward and tenderly touching the little guy's busted arm. "Dear, God! This is... this is inhumane! Hang on, Kiddo..."

I blinked when his clawed hands lit up with yellow light, then gasped as it illuminated the child's entire arm. Tyle shrieked when his bone crunched and unexpectedly jerked into a more normal-looking position, and even I flinched when his fingers cracked violently.

"Oh, man," Marie whispered, swallowing with a sick expression. "That was fucked up."

"Language," I chided, using the wall to crawl to my feet when Xaphile pulled back. "Let's get the hell out of here before that pedophile comes back... I don't think I'll be able to stop him again after all that."

And it was true: my knees were knocking together and I could barely stand.

"Are you all right?" Marie asked, stepping forward and setting a hand on my shoulder; I was actually surprised to see concern on her face. "He didn't... hurt you, did he? And speaking of which, where did the creep go?"

"Look up," I pointedly explained, lifting a finger; when she did as I said, she stiffened and her mouth fell open. "That pretty much explains it."

"You did that?!" she scoffed, looking at me with huge husky blue eyes. "How?!"

"I don't even know," I muttered, shaking my head. "Now is not the time to be discussing it, though... I'll tell you about it later, once we get the hell out of here."

So saying, I grit my teeth and carefully helped Tyler to his feet, using my sleeve to dry his tears. After a moment, I took my blazer off and draped it over his naked form, buttoning it up as much as I could. I purposely made sure his nudity was fully covered up before gently grasping his wrist and examining his arm.

"I patched him up as much as I could," Xaphile stated weakly, grasping his gloves and tucking them into his pocket before he headed for the door. "It wasn't a complete bone fix, but at the very least his arm isn't ruined. He needs to be careful with it, though."

"Are you okay?" I asked, looking into the little boy's eyes. "We need to go, Tyler..."

"I-I can walk," he stammered, nodding rapidly. "I have to be tough! All the heroes are tough, r-right?!"

My heart nearly melted.

"Good boy," I murmured, tapping his nose and clasping his hand. "Let's get out of here!"

With firm nods all around, we hurried for the door and made our way out of the cell.

I was dismayed to see halls stretching in two directions.

"Which way do we go?" Marie snapped, clutching her hair in horror. "This is bad!"

"Maybe... instead of walking through this place until we find an exit," the hooded boy behind us suddenly muttered, making me stare at him, "we should go through those holes in the ceiling. It seems like the quicker option."

"Are you dense?" I demanded, glaring at him. "Unless I'm missing something, we aren't exactly capable of climbing a distance like that, especially with a kid."

"No need to be rude," he awkwardly sighed, waving a gloved hand. "I wasn't suggesting we climb out of here."

'Then what were you suggesting?" Marie demanded, folding her arms. "Tell us!"

"I was thinking, maybe I could fly us out of here," he stated calmly, shaking his head. "I'd only be able to take you one at a time, but I could definitely get us out."

I thought it over, biting my lip as I glanced at the halls.

"Do it," I commanded, giving him a nervous look. "Take Tyler first, then Marie. I'll go last."

I was surprised when he gave me a salute and nodded.

"Aye Aye, Cap'n!" he chuckled, lunging back inside the cramped room and once again shrugging his faceless hoodie off. With a flash, his black wings unfurled and he knelt, arms spread. "Come on, Kiddo! It's time for a hug!"

"A... hug?" Tyler nervously asked, instantly clinging to my leg. "What do you mean?"

"Go," I urged, looking at the door lying crumpled in the hall. "We don't have time."

Tyler looked at me and blinked before he hesitantly walked into the winged youth's arms.

With a fierce pull, he dragged the little boy into a firm embrace and crouched, wings spreading wide. Then, springing towards the gap like some sort of animal, those feathered appendages thundered down. Flapping madly, I watched in total amazement as the two of them went flying towards the distant sky.

When they disappeared, I looked at Marie.

"Where do you think we are?" I asked, pulling her back into the room. "It can't be outside of the city... it would have taken much longer to get here."

"I don't know where we are, either," the cerulean-haired girl muttered, then smacked her fist against her open palm, "but these jerks are gonna pay for attacking us."

"That isn't a good idea," I stated quietly, watching as Xaphile once again came into view; like an eagle, he dove down towards us and flapped madly until he landed, then spread his arms again. "We should just get out of here, then sit down and talk."

"Whatever," Marie sighed, shaking her head as she walked over to the boy. "Oi, if you try to cop a feel with those furry mitts of yours, I'm gonna smack you."

"As if," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "I'm a gentleman, not a brute... and no offense, but you're not exactly my type, at any rate."

"Good," Marie sighed in relief, shaking her head. "That's actually kinda comforting."

Anything else they could have said was cut off by him springing into the air a second time. I watched as he flapped, biting my lip since he seemed to be struggling: then, they actually got going and quickly flew towards the sky.

After they disappeared, I stood in place and waited, rubbing my arms.

My eyes felt heavy and I could barely stay on my feet, but I somehow managed to.

Just as Xaphile came diving back down, I heard a door crash open in the hall and jumped, shoulders tensing as the sound of multiple footsteps came trampling towards the room I was standing in. When he landed and spread his arms, I wasted no time.

Stumbling forward, I attempted to run to him... but instead, I ended up tripping like a klutz and fell towards the ground in what would have been a horrible face-plant had he not lunged forward at the last second. I was damn lucky that he caught me, too.

However, when he wrapped his arms securely around my waist, I limply blinked over his shoulder and stared at the furry, bizarrely elfish ear resting right in front of my nose.

His ears were weird.

"Hold on tight," Xaphile whispered, tensing like a wildcat. "This is going to be rough."

The demonic youth finally looked up at the sky and crouched very low to the ground, tightening his grip on my body. Just as his lower muscles went taught, the group of villains who'd kidnapped us came into view, along with the battered boy I'd attacked.

Then he sprang into the air with all of his strength and slammed his enormous wings down at the same time: I let out a shriek of surprise when we went flying into the air, clutching his neck tightly and watching with stricken eyes as the floor dropped away.

Then, more floors began to fly past my vision.

His wings juddered as he flapped them, breathing heavily as he strained to reach the sky. Just as we made it outside, a flash of pink light sailed past us, nearly clipping his wing. As a result, he suddenly shifted his grip and let my legs dangle.

I screamed again and flailed around without thinking.

"Don't drop me!" I cried, kicking my legs. "Please, don't!"

"Stop... flailing," Xaphile hissed. "I'd never let you fall... not that... kind of guy."

"I'll hold you to that!" I whispered, blinking as he beat his wings and hovered there with me. My school skirt billowed out and flared around my legs when he looked down at the hole. "I really will! Now, please... we need to go! They're definitely after us now!"

"Roger that," the demon sighed, hugging me close to his chest before flying higher and unexpectedly diving backwards towards the ground. "Hang on!"

His expression suddenly became fierce.

My heart started flip-flopping upside down and back again when the ground began to rush towards us. At the last moment, though, Xaphile flipped in the air, diving straight towards it before swooping back up towards the frothing sky.

When a flash of lightning caught my attention, I glanced up in surprise.

The sky was dark with thunderheads.

I was relieved when the winged boy finally landed: standing on the deserted sidewalk a few feet away was none other than Tyler and Marie. Xaphile pointedly let me go, then turned as if making to grab something... but then he froze.

"Uh oh..." he stammered, looking around. "Where's my...?"

Before he could finish, something smashed out of the building directly across the street.

Tyler instantly let out a shriek and squatted, covering his ears.

"No way..." I whispered, eyes widening in horror; I instantly whirled, looking at the winged youth. "Take Tyler somewhere safe and get out of here! Marie and I will follow on foot!"

"Are you sure?!" he squawked, ears sticking straight out. "I should stay and help!"

"Just do it!" I squeaked, gripping the stricken girl's wrist and bolting down the street just as Mammoth, Jynx, and Gizmo came running out of the hole in the wall. "Keep him safe!"

Lunging over, the demonic-looking youth grabbed the terrified child and took to the air.

"We're fucked, aren't we?" Marie whispered, keeping an even pace with me as we fled down the streets. "How the hell are we supposed to get away from them?!"

"I-I don't know!" I spluttered, finding it harder and harder to keep moving. "Just run!"

"I don't think I can!" she snapped, hand tightening on my own. "We need a plan!"

"I can barely run, let alone think!" I wailed, throwing her a desperate look. "I'm about to freak! I seriously don't know what to do! So just shut up and keep running, woman! I am NOT going down like a blonde ditz in a horror movie!"

"But all of those bimbos chose to run, too!" Marie shrieked in outrage, mouth dropping. "Excuse me, but there's a pattern there! The reason blondes die in horror movies is because they all squeal and run away! Think of something so we don't end up like that!"

I tried. I really did.

But nothing was coming.

That is, until I saw a coffee shop with actual people sitting in it: I instantly twitched.

"I have an idea!" I cheered, actually laughing aloud. "Let's go!"

So saying, I dragged her over to the shop and tore the door open.

Both of us instantly ran inside and slammed it shut, drawing some frowns our way.

"This is your big plan?!" Marie hissed, shackles rising. "How will this help us?!"

I chose to ignore her and instead ran to the counter, shoving aside two people waiting for their coffee.

"CALL THE POLICE!" I wailed, looking around with terror on my face. "WE'RE VICTIMS OF KIDNAPPING AND WE LITERALLY JUST GOT FREE! HURRY, CALL THE COPS!"

"C-calm down, Miss," the woman behind the counter sighed, shaking her head. "If this is some sort of prank, then I'm afraid..."

Before she could finish, Marie stepped forward and slammed a hand down on the counter.

"Call the cops, now," she stated coldly, mouth taught with fury. "The same bastards who kidnapped us earlier today were literally right behind us when we tore in here. Even worse, they have the metahuman gene: call the cops, RIGHT NOW!"

The woman paled and looked at the customers who were now sitting frozen.

"All right, give me a moment," she sighed, picking up the phone. "I'm calling them."

"What do we do if they crash in here?" Marie demanded lowly, giving me a nervous look. "Isn't that kind of bad...?"

"I didn't think that far ahead," I mumbled, weakly collapsing to my knees. "I... can't keep going... I feel like I'm gonna pass out."

"Oh, HELL no!" Marie shrieked, kneeling down and patting my cheek. "Don't you DARE pass out on me! I swear to God, Sally Beth, if you pull a blonde move on me, I'm gonna kick the shit out of you the moment you're conscious again!"

"I'm too tired," I whined, looking at her weakly. "I used up all my energy getting out of that freaky building they locked us in. The cops are coming, though... we'll be fine!"

I regretted saying that the moment the words left my mouth.

Because not even two seconds after, the door exploded in a shower of glass: everyone in the shop instantly screamed and jumped up from their seats, pointedly backing away from the windows. The cashier squeaked and ducked behind the counter, holding the phone close to her ear and whispering something frantically.

"Knock knock!" a snide little voice called, laughing maniacally. "Anyone home?!"

I jumped and clutched Marie's arm when Gizmo, the little bald boy wearing the metal backpack, came waltzing in. Marie and I shared a look before the dust cleared and simultaneously stood up. Somehow, we both found just enough energy to vault over the counter: then we crouched down beside the cashier, who looked at us with stunned eyes.

Marie and I held onto each other as we sat there, holding our breaths.

"There's a door out back," the woman suddenly hissed, nudging me and pointing towards a hallway hidden by the counter. "It's unlocked! Go! Go! The police are already on their way, so try to put some distance between you! If he finds you here, it'll be dangerous!"

"Really?" I whispered, blinking at her. "Thank you!"

"Let's go, Sally!" Marie muttered, gripping my wrist and tugging across the floor. "Keep moving until we can't move anymore!"

I somehow managed to keep going.

Once we made it to the back room, we found the door the cashier had mentioned and tore through it, flying out into a dark back alley. Before I could stop to catch my breath, however, Marie was already dragging me towards a nearby street.

However, she unexpectedly stopped and pressed me against the wall.

"Shh!" she warned, looking at something out in the street with narrowed eyes. "Look!"

When I followed her gaze, I was mortified to see Jynx walk past not even ten feet away from us. In that moment, the start caused my legs to buckle yet again... and this time, I couldn't budge them. Marie tugged on me and hissed a warning, but I couldn't hear it.

"I... can't... move..." I whined, barely able to keep my eyes open. "I... I..."

I never finished the sentence.

The door behind us exploded off its hinges and eight metallic spider legs extended from it. Marie gasped and gripped my arms, frantically dragging my limp body across the ground and towards the open street. The sound of sirens were filling the air, and high above, i swore I could see Xaphile. I was praying they'd get to us in time.

However, just as I was about to black out... that's when I heard it.

_Where are you? _a familiar voice demanded, clear as a bell. _Tell me. Now._

"Rear entrance of a coffee shop," I mumbled incoherently, head lolling as I was pulled away from Gizmo's laughing form. "Help me... please..."

_I need a signal... _the voice impatiently retorted. _Show me where you are._

"I... can't," I whispered, struggling to pull together the last shreds of ice within my body and mesh it into a ball. "I can't use... anymore of my... power... I'm out... of energy."

"Who are you talking to?!" Marie shrieked, face red with the force of her exertion. "Get up, Sally! We're not gonna get away!"

"Run, Marie... go," I choked, shaking my head. "Don't get caught again over me! I'll figure something out!"

"NO!" she spat, digging her boots into the ground and dragging even harder. "WE DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER, EVER, BUT YOU'RE STILL A PART OF MY WORLD! MY HOME! I REFUSE TO LET ANYONE FUCK WITH MY LIFE ANYMORE THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE!"

"Marie... let go," I stated quietly, frantically generating as much of the ice as I could; I could have started crying from relief when a weak haze obscured my eyes. "Now."

"NO WAY!" she stubbornly retorted. "I'M NOT LEAVING YOU BEHIND!"

"DO IT!" I snapped, making her look at me. "I DON'T WANT TO SHOCK YOU!"

When she saw the glow radiating from my irises, she instantly let go.

Propping myself up and taking a deep breath, I filled my lungs as much as I could.

_You wanted a sign, _I silently whispered, feeling my body prickling again, _this is the most I can give. I hope it's enough._

With that, I let out a third scream, and a beam of lightning the girth of a telephone pole exploded from my mouth, flashing towards the sky. I screamed long and hard, roaring out all my fear at the top of my god damn lungs.

Then, I ran out of breath and I collapsed, staring emptily at the sky.

Raindrops began to pelt my face as I lay there, watching the swirls with darkening vision.

_Was that a good enough sign? _I silently asked. _I'm really hoping it was... I can't move, and I think... I'm... about to faint._

Two black wings entered my vision as well as strands of blue hair.

Then, a dark shadow shaped like a raven materialized directly above me.

I watched with a slow blink as a girl wearing a familiar blue cloak slid out of it.

_Good enough, _Raven silently rasped, stretching out a hand. _We'll take it from here._

Before I could so much as smile at her, I was engulfed in a black ringing blanket.

With a sigh, I closed my eyes and simply went to sleep.


	18. Chapter 17: My Choice

**C****hapter Seventeen: My Choice**

_It began with the thunder... there was darkness, but within it was a strange rumble._

_Distant... but not very frightening._

_Must have been storming outside... that's all._

_A lightning storm._

_But... why was the thunder getting louder instead of fading away...? __It was as though the sound was calling me, reaching out to me with glowing black arms... and, with a strange yearning, I mentally reached out to the black light. __I could hear nothing but an odd ringing noise... but what was it...?_

_Could it have been a voice...?_

_Was it wind chimes...?_

_Or water running...?_

_Metal... shards...?_

_The sound of metal... bending and shredding... as it was ripped out of... something?_

_I shivered violently as strange shapes and images began to take place behind my eyes... was that my old bedroom? The flashing... it was so familiar... and if I wasn't mistaken, those were my sisters..._

_Isabella and Gabriella._

_The sight of them cowering with their blankets up to their noses, both of them staring at the window of our bedroom with sheer terror in their eyes. I wanted to reach out and console them... to tell them it would be okay... but... this wasn't real._

_My sisters were dead._

_The moment I thought it, my bedroom exploded and the room began to vanished with a thundering roar, ripping itself to shreds as the horrible storm swept directly across my home. Then, I was screaming... flipping madly... the vision was so horrible, so insanely horrible that I choked._

_Like reliving a nightmare I thought I had escaped from._

"_MOMMY!" someone screeched, voice muffled as the world below me was erased by flying debris. "HELP ME!"_

_"What did you do...?" someone whispered in an insubstantial voice. "Oh, my God..."_

_"Return," another, static-riddled voice hissed into my ear. "Live."_

_Then... the world was gone._

_Blackness. Infinite shadow stretching on endlessly._

_Then red... all over a cracked floor._

_Floor..._

_Red Rivers... white pools... milk?  
_

In an instant, my whole body jerked and my mind came back to awareness.

_Huh? _I hazily wondered, slowly turning my head and groggily trying to figure out what was going on; for some reason, I couldn't open my eyes. _What happened? Where am I?_

I could hear noises and knew I was awake, although I couldn't really feel anything for some reason... but the sounds were all wrong. The squeak of rubber on linoleum had replaced the gentle thrushing noise of the trees outside of my window back at the foster home. The rattle of trays in a metal cart instead of stuffy silence.

I slowly tried to roll over, but something held me back like a leash: when I tried again, a sharp sting seared through my hand. After a moment, I blearily buried my face in my pillow and mewled, since it smelled way different than it had the previous evening. Everything smelled like bleach instead of the smell I was used to.

_What's going on here?_ I faintly wondered, struggling to rouse myself. _This isn't my room... where am I?_

When I tried to call for Ashley Hale, the girl who lived in the room next to mine, the only thing that came out of my mouth was a hoarse croak that sounded nothing like me. Something was wrong... why did my voice feel like it was gone? What was happening?

I fought to think past the haziness clouding my head.

Like a thunderclap, it all came roaring back: being kidnapped, attacked, then using my abilities... the first conclusion that I came to was that they must have caught me again. Fear immediately flooded through my heart and I catapulted off of the pillow, thrashing sideways and kicking at the sheets.

I yanked on the thing restraining my left arm, ignoring the pain that was stabbing me like a wasp's sting.

A few seconds later, a shrill alarm went off, and I flailed around even more.

I couldn't even open my eyes, but I was so scared of getting caught that I almost began to cry.

"Come... on!" I rasped, jerking at the thing on my arm. "I need... out... to get out! What is this thing?! OW!"

However, that's when I heard a door swing open.

"Oh, dear... Ellen, please do me a favor and go get the doctor right now. The patient in room seventy-three just woke up!" a female gently called; a set of hands soon grabbed my quivering shoulders and gently set me back down. "Easy, honey, just calm down… you're safe. There's no need to pull out your IV, okay?"

_IV?_ I wondered hazily; my head was pounding and my body ached. _What's an IV...? Wait... a needle...?_

"Where am I?" I croaked, shakily trying to touch the woman. "I... I'm safe, right?"

"Yes, you're safe," she soothed, gently caressing my hair. "You're at the Downtown Jump Medical Center."

Medical Center... a hospital?

"Where are the others...?" I croaked, fighting to open my eyes and failing. "Where's Marie and Tyler? And that strange-looking boy, Xaphile...? Are they all right?"

"Don't worry, honey, they're safe," the nurse soothed. "In fact... unless I'm mistaken, the young lady and one of the boys you mentioned... they're waiting patiently down in the lobby."

"Which boy?" I demanded, feeling apprehension settling in my stomach. "Do you know?"

The woman went silent.

"The... the one with the strange body," she uncomfortably sighed. "He has a very... peculiar appearance."

I instantly sat up, ignoring the tangled way my hair brushed against my cheeks.

"Where is Tyler Babbowitz," I demanded lowly, tightening my jaw. "Tell me, right now."

The nurse fell silent a second time.

However, the door opened before she could respond, and someone else walked in.

I listened with apprehension as a set of footsteps stopped beside me.

"Whoa there," a strange voice said right next to my ear. "You're bleeding... must've done a number on your arm."

I slowly turned my head: I smelled Old Spice.

"Who...?" I croaked, struggling to make my throat work properly. "Who are you?"

"I'm your doctor, and this is the first sign of life that you've shown in three days," the man sighed, clamping down on my wrist when I tried to lift it again. "Slow down, kiddo... you're really gonna rip your IV out if you keep flailing: you need to be careful. Now... it's all right to open your eyes."

"I tried," I whispered; my tongue and the insides of my cheeks felt as though they were furry with cotton. "I can't."

"You're just worn out," the man chuckled, patting my wrist. "I'm sure it feels like you've got weights on your eyelids, but give it your best shot."

I struggled... I really did... but for some reason, I couldn't do it.

"I'm trying as hard as I can," I whispered weakly, "but for some reason, I don't have the energy..."

"All right, then..." he sighed; I heard something that sounded like rubber before he shuffled close, but flinched when I felt gloved fingers touch my face. "Stay as still as possible. Just relax."

I felt uncomfortable when he manually opened my left eye.

His barely-visible wire-rimmed glasses gleamed when he flashed a penlight in my face.

Then, he let my lid drop and repeated the procedure with my right eye.

After a moment he nodded, then let go of my lids.

"Looks like most of the cobwebs are gone," he comically explained. "Now that we've gotten the first part of your checkup out of the way... I'm Doctor Kesslov. Can you tell me your name?"

I immediately frowned, since that was definitely a weird question: the doctor most definitely knew my name, but since he was asking, he must have had a reason.

"Sally Beth," I stated quietly. "Hey... do you know what happened to my friend, Tyler Babbowitz?"

Dr. Kesslov remained silent, but that only made me feel extremely uneasy.

"He's been taken to the wing where we treat Metahumans with potentially dangerous abilities," the man finally sighed, gently patting my hand. "They're looking him over right now, don't worry."

"I have to say. though..." the nurse murmured, letting out a sigh, "It's really a shame."

"What's a shame...?" I asked, feeling confused by her somber tone. "Is he all right?"

"Well, yes," the doctor told me, "but apparently he was an unlicensed metahuman."

"To be forced into locking up such a young boy in that awful prison..." the nurse sniffed. "Such a shame."

I froze, muscles stiffening up instananeously.

"P-prison?!" I squeaked, immediately fighting to open my eyes once again. "What are you talking about?! Why the hell would a child that young be sentenced to a place like prison?! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"It can't be helped," the woman murmured, shaking her head. "It's this hospital's protocol: we're legally bound by law to have someone come and collect all unlicensed people who show symptoms of carrying the metagene. It shouldn't be too bad for him, though... I've heard that children are given better treatment."

My heart nearly froze when the ice swept across it.

Not the ice I was used to... no, this was ice that I identified as pure fear.

I suddenly felt sick to my core... but even more than that, I was genuinely afraid of what I'd just been told.

"W-why is it necessary to take people to prison for having a metagene?!" I squeaked, feeling my body growing weak with terror; almost immediately, the machine monitoring my heart beat began to beep faster, registering my change in pulse. "Isn't that cruel?! Or a violation of human rights?!"

"No, and it can't be helped," the doctor sighed, sounding a little condescending. "After all, it's a hazard to everyone if we let someone with uncontrollable meta powers run free. If the government didn't lock people up like they do, catastrophe would eventually strike us... so, in a way, perhaps it's better if that child is taken."

My heart palpitated.

And the only reason I knew was because I heard it on the machine.

"Are you saying..." I hissed lowly, not believing my ears, "that our own government judges metahumans without even giving them a chance?"

"It's not like that, sweetie," the nurse soothed, scooting closer. "The reason they take people is so they can decided whether or not their powers safe enough to be released into normal society, that's all."

"And what happens to the people they decide aren't safe?!" I roughly demanded. "Well?!"

They both fell silent yet again, which sparked my irritation.

"They're confined in a proper living space on Alcatraz Island," Dr. Kesslov murmured. "For the rest of their lives."

I swear to God... the moment he said it, I nearly had a heart attack.

Not because I was in any danger, but because I could picture what might happen to Tyler's mother. She was extremely protective, and it was clear that she loved her child more than life itself. The fact that she had been struggling to prevent people from locking her child up was proof alone.

And I really, REALLY didn't want to see them get torn apart over something like this.

"Is there any way to prevent them from taking Tyler away?" I growled, hating every bit of this. "Is there any way to keep them from locking the kid up? To prevent any of this from happening?!"

The nurse sighed, clucking her tongue.

"Look, sweetie," she murmured, trying to calm me down, "I really don't think you should be..."

She trailed off when I finally managed to open my eyes just enough to glare at her: her blue eyes widened and she froze when she realized just how pissed I was. I knew for a fact that my glare could have cut clean through anyone... it was a talent I'd inherited from my mom.

Normally, my mother had been a sweet, loving person... but let me tell you: her death glare was something everyone in our household had actively tried to avoid. Her eyes, while normally very soft and mellow, would sharpen so dangerously that you could practically _feel _just how pissed she was by looking at them.

She'd had a damn good way of intimidating people when she'd wanted to.

It was only after I'd hit middle school that I'd been told by her that I could pull off the very same glare.

She'd laughed as she said it, but apparently, it was true... since both the doctor and nurse turned white.

"Answer... the question," I commanded, letting my eyes slide shut yet again. "Right now."

"W-well," the nurse stammered, sounding flustered, "there is one way... but, it's not really an option..."

"Tell me," I barked, getting tired of the dodgy attitudes. "Right now!"

"There's only way, and I wouldn't recommend it," Dr. Kesslove stated calmly. "If a registered metahuman intervenes with our decision by giving us International Metagene Code, Number 722... we'd have no choice but to let the little boy leave with him or her. It's part of the law. But as I said, I wouldn't recommend it, since it would do more harm than good. Now, I'll be back soon, so just sit tight."

"Just press the button on the side of your bed if you need me," the nurse added. "I'll be checking on you again later."

I waited until she stood up and left the room, feeling myself turning into a writhing ball of anxiety.

Once her footsteps faded, I willed my eyes to open: each lid felt as heavy as a garage door, but with a herculean effort, I managed to open them just enough to see. Then I continued struggling... until, finally, I had my eyes open all the way. I really was sitting in a hospital room: fluorescent light bulbs buzzed overhead.

I couldn't rest.

There was no way.

Not with Tyler in such a bad situation.

Feeling groggy as hell, I looked at my arm and stared at the IV... then, carefully ripping off the tape keeping the needle securely fastened into my arm, I quickly jerked it out and pressed the sheet against the wound. For several moments, I applied a ton of pressure, feeling nauseous.

Then, I looked down at myself.

I was in a hospital gown, with nothing but my school skirt and stockings beneath it. My shoes were gone, and so was my shirt and bra. Sitting upright, I slid my legs over the edge of the bed and let out a groan, since every single one of my limbs felt heavy. Even so, I forced my legs to work.

Wobbling upright, I tested my weight and was almost impressed that I could keep my balance.

Every single muscle was trembling, and it was a chore just staying upright.

However, I didn't waste any time... moving out into the hall and peering both ways, I looked past the nurses and doctors cluttering around with hesitant eyes. Then, shutting the door behind me, I walked out into the hall and hastily moved as fast as I could towards what looked to me like the nearest exit.

I kept my eyes peeled for signs on the doors and walls.

I needed to know where I was going if I was going to do any good, but eventually, I found one.

"Thank God," i whispered, reading the sign pointing towards the lobby and waiting rooms with furrowed brows; once I knew the direction I needed to go, I hurried down the next set of halls. "I hate hospitals..."

I kept my pace steady and somewhat slow, since the last thing I wanted was to collapse before I could make it. That would have drawn a lot of negative attention... and that would have been the worst possible thing to happen right then. Even so, I felt pretty stupid for not thinking things through before acting.

Especially since I was placing all of my hope on the words of a Nurse who probably got paid to calm people down by telling them there were people waiting to visit. Part of me was hoping that Marie and Xaphile would truly be in the waiting room, but another part didn't believe they would.

After moving through a set of double doors, I was actually mildly surprised to see the two of them sitting on some uncomfortable-looking chairs . Marie looked exhausted, and Xaphile... he was once again bundled up in a faceless zip-up sweatshirt, but this one was bright red and had puppy paws printed on it.

I wasted no time: walking right up to him, I clutched his wrist and ignored how he flinched in surprise.

"S-Sally!" Marie squeaked, jumping upright and staring at me. "You're conscious?! W-what are you doing?!"

"No time," I croaked, looking at her with a weak expression, then looked up at Xaphile. "I need to ask you something very important. Are you a licensed Metahuman?!"

The large green eyes peering at me from within two circular holes blinked rapidly.

"Yes, I am," he stated calmly, careflly tilting his head. "My parents had me registered and licensed on the same day I was born... but, why exactly do you ask? It's rather abrupt, if you ask me."

"Tyler isn't a registered metahuman," I retorted, clinging to him with frantic eyes. "They're going to lock him up in some sort of prison unless someone who's been registered as a licensed metahuman intervenes!"

"What?!" Marie asked, blinking in confusion. "That's totally outrageous and stupid! Who the hell would throw a little kid into prison?! That's bullshit!"

"Exactly," I growled, giving her a pointed look. "It's definite bullshit... and the only person here who can keep Tyler's family from falling apart is Xaphile."

"Eh?" he whispered, shoulders going rigid; then, before I could blink, he roughly clutched my arms. "Are you nuts, girl?! Do you even know what you're asking me to do?!"

"international Code, Number 722," I retorted, giving him a look. "I have no idea what it is, but I was just told it's the only thing that can keep the kid from being locked up."

"I know precisely what it is, but the problem here is that you obviously don't!" he barked, shaking me a little. "You wouldn't be asking me to do this if you yourself were a licensed Metahuman! So, unless you want all four of us to spend the rest of our days stuck _above _the law, I wouldn't recommend having me do it! I'm not a vigilante, and I don't want to be doing community service for the rest of my god damn life!"

I stared at him with a blank expression.

"What are you saying?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes at him. "What do you mean?"

"He means, we'd be a group like the Titans," Marie muttered weakly, not looking at me. "Code 722... is basically like giving up your freedom as an individual of the USA... but at the same time, the people who use it are legally recognized as a force that the law can't touch. In any way, period. We become a force that is set outside of the government's control."

I froze.

"Are you serious?!" I whispered, not believing my ears. "Is there really a way for people to go above the law?!"

"Don't glorify it!" Xaphile growled, tightening his grip on my shoulders. "Going above the law also works both ways: the police can't arrest us, true, but if we're ever in trouble... they won't come to help us, either. Not only that, but being above the law ALSO means that taking a normal job becomes impossible! Attending SCHOOL becomes impossible! We'd no longer be allowed to do it!"

I felt my heart skip a bit and stared at him with fright on my face.

"W-why?!" I squeaked, shaking my head. "That doesn't make sense! Why wouldn't we be able to?!"

"In short, we'd become foreigners in our own country," Marie added, shaking her head. "it's like renouncing legal citizenship without actually doing so. We'd be forced into doing community service just to make a living, Sally... and that is a really, really tough way to get by. In fact... most of the villains who prowl this city probably used code 722 at some point. They went above the law... went above being a citizen."

I couldn't believe it for a long moment... but then, after thinking about it, I was actually stunned to realize it actually made a lot sense. All of the villains running around did nothing but steal things like cash, jewelry, and other valuable treasures. But why would they do that so often?

Every other day, something was being robbed in this city: either on the radio or on the news, since the moment I moved to Jump City, I had always witnessed a story about yet another bank or store suffering from an attempted robbery. I had always thought it was an issue that came from living in a big city.

But a reason like the one I had been given made a lot of sense.

"How do we save him, then...?" I whispered, feeling my heart dropping through the floor. "How can we rescue Tyler without damaging ourselves?! What can we do?!"

"I don't think we can," Marie stated, averting her husky blue eyes. "At least... not without destroying our futures as normal people. I took a lot of precautions in order to prevent people from locking me up after I found out I had these bizarre powers of mine... I kept my mouth shut. You should do the same, okay?"

"No!" I snapped, clenching my fists. "I won't just sit back and watch as Tyler's family gets torn apart! This isn't his fault, and we can't let these people take that boy away from his mother! Both of them have already lost so much! Their house, their stability, and all respect from the people around them! I am not going to watch them lose each other after all that! It's not like Tyler ASKED to have supernatural abilities, okay?!"

My mouth trembled in fury when she looked at me with solemn eyes.

"I can't... help you," Xaphile sighed, shaking his head and averting his gaze. "I'm sorry."

I clenched my fists and looked at the floor.

"Fine," I murmured. "I apologize for asking something crazy."

After a moment, I turned and looked at Marie's clothes: she was wearing a sleeveless purple hoodie over a white T-shirt.

"May I borrow your sweatshirt?" I asked, watching with fierce eyes as she blinked. "I don't know where my own shirt is, and unfortunately, it seems like they took everything... even my bra. I'm nude under this."

"Oh, geez..." the cerulean-haired girl grumbled, instantly peeling her sleeveless sweatshirt off. "Here."

When she threw it at me, I looked around for a bathroom and hastened over to it. Slipping inside, I removed the hospital gown and carefully slid the article of clothing over my head. It was a little baggy since Marie was quite a bit taller than me, but it was better than nothing. Smoothing the violet shirt, I glanced at the dried blood on my inner wrist and winced before taking a moment to wash it off in the sink.

Then I left the bathroom... however, I was surprised to see someone new standing in front of the receptionist.

Tyler's mother.

I lifted my arm to wave and call out to her, but her voice split the air before I could.

"What do you mean I can't see him?!" she shouted, slamming her hands down on the counter. "I'm his mother! I have every right to see my child! Who are you to say I no longer have permission to see him?!"

I felt my blood run cold and my hand dropped.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but that's just how it is," the woman behind the counter drawled. "Nobody is allowed to see any patients with an unlicensed metagene as per the hospital's regulation. Even if that person is family."

"What do you mean, _unlicensed?!_" the woman shrieked, shoulders tensing up. "His license is in the mail! His powers only showed up a month and a half ago! During that time, I took him all over the city _just_ to fill out the necessary documents to let him live normally! His license was validated last week and the card is on it's way! This is ridiculous! You can't stop me from seeing him when I have the legal documents themselves!"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but without the license itself I'm afraid there's nothing we can do," the receptionist drawled, speaking in such a nasal and bored tone that it made me feel pissed. "It's part of the regulations: without a license, all metahumans will be treated humanely, but will be turned in."

The woman's face went white.

"What are you saying?!" she whimpered, stepping back as her mouth began to tremble. "T-turned in?! Are you telling me that you people are planning on taking my baby away from me...?"

"Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do, Ma'am," the secretary drawled. "We can't let you see him."

"No..." the woman croaked, knees giving out. "My baby... my boy... don't take him away from me."

I felt my heart twist when tears welled up in her eyes and started trickling down her cheeks.

However, when Xaphile and Marie both looked away from me after I shot a pleading glance at them... I couldn't take it anymore. And that's when I made my choice. Stalking over to the crying woman... I knelt down and gently wrapped my arms around her from behind, ignoring how she jumped and fell still.

"Don't worry," I quietly whispered into her ear. "I promise... I'll get him out of here."

"Eh?" the woman sniffed. "What are you... saying? How?!"

"I'll probably be in a lot of trouble for doing this, but... I swear, I'll get him out," I repeated, letting go of her before heaving myself upright again. "You said his license is on it's way, right?"

"Yes," the woman blubbered, staring at the floor with watering eyes. "It should be here day after tomorrow!"

"Good," I stated firmly, giving her a relieved look before holding out my hand. "That's very good. I can work with that... Miss Babbowitz... I'm going to kidnap Tyler just long enough to buy you time to get that license. I won't let them do what they want... so please, stop crying. He needs you to be strong."

When she blinked and slowly lifted her eyes, I smiled at her and lifted my hand a bit higher.

"You're... that girl," she suddenly gasped, stiffening in surprise. "The one who saved him!"

"My name is Sally," I sighed, shaking my head. "Here... take my hand."

"Oh, sorry," she sighed, grasping my fingers; then, with a heave, I helped her up. "What... are you planning?"

"Just trust me," I stated firmly, giving her a look. "I'm going to take him from the hospital until his license gets here. Nobody can separate you two if they don't know where to find him, right? Well, if that's the case, all I really have to do is make sure they can't find him."

Her eyes widened.

"That's... dangerous," she murmured, giving me a worried look. "Not to mention, against the law."

"Sorry, but I don't really care," I stated calmly, ignoring how she froze. "I personally think that some of the laws I've recently heard about are seriously wrong and messed up. So wrong, in fact, that I'm actually rather _pissed _that even the _idea_ of breaking the law seems like its the right thing to do in this situation."

"Where will you take him?" she asked, clutching her purse before rummaging around. "Please... nowhere dangerous."

"I'll keep him safe," I murmured, then twitched when she held out what looked like a phone. "Huh? What's this?"

"My cell," she stated firmly, giving me a serious expression. "I'll use it to keep in touch with you. I have an older one at home that still works, so I'll use that until you can return this to me. I'm trusting you."

"Eh?" I whispered, taking the cell with startled eyes. "Are you serious?"

"You just offered to save my boy," she stated firmly, setting a hand on my arm. "This will be the second time, too, so I can't deny that I'm putting a dangerous amount of faith in you. Think of this as my consent."

I blinked, then pocketed the phone with a sigh.

"I'll do my best," I stated firmly, nodding twice before I looked at Marie and Xaphile; both of them were staring at me with huge eyes, not believing what they'd just heard me say. Smiling a little, I waved at them and gave a little shrug. "See ya later."

So saying, I draped the hospital gown over the hoodie and stealthily headed over to the doors leading to the inner hospital. They locked from the other side every time they shut, so I carefully waited until someone came through. Once they moved past, I slipped between the doors before they could close again.

Then I carefully moved through the hospital, trying to blend in.

However, as I was passing by a door, I heard a set of familiar voices and froze.

"Still... you got seriously lucky," Sarah's voice murmured. "If Sally hadn't been there, who knows what could have happened? It's terrifying to think about, Amber."

"Doesn't mean I'm not pissed at you two!" the redhead snapped. "I can't believe you guys left me out of the loop like you did! I mean, yeah, I get where Sally was coming from, not wanting to put us in any unneeded danger... but then again, that's also kind of what she did by NOT saying anything to me!"

"Come on, be a little more quiet," Sarah hissed. "You can't talk about it so loudly!"

"I'm trying to hold my temper, all right?!" Amber hissed back. "Anyway... do you know how she's doing?"

"I visited her _and_ Miss Figgins during the last three days," the blonde mumbled. "They're both still unconscious."

"I heard about what happened on the news," Amber muttered. "Is it true that when the Titans found her she looked like someone had attempted to rip her shirt off?"

"Yeah," the blonde sighed. "I hope they didn't do anything bad to her... the thought makes me shiver."

I chose that moment to slide inside the room they were talking to each other in and shut the door.

"Hey," I greeted, lifting an awkward hand when they jumped and whirled to look at me. "I'm conscious."

"SALLY!" Sarah squealed, jumping to her feet and tackling me with a hug; I stumbled backwards and crashed into the wall when she burst into laughing tears. "You're okay! Thank God!"

"Geez, girl!" Amber stammered, patting her chest. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

"I heard the whole conversation, but that's not important right now," I stated firmly, giving the two of them a long look. "Do either of you know where the hospital takes people who have the metagene?"

Both girls fell silent and stared at me.

"The meta wing?" Amber asked after a moment, furrowing her brows. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm on a genuine rescue mission," I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "I'll have to wait a few more days to catch up with you, but I promise I will. Don't worry. I just need to know where the meta wing is."

"I overheard one of the nurses talking about it," Sarah instantly informed me. "If what she said is true, it's near the employee cafeteria..."

"And that's apparently on the second floor," Amber added, raising a finger and pointing at the ceiling. "If you're on a mission, we won't stop you... but you had better explain everything to us when you're back."

"I promise I will," I sighed, then paused and looked at Sarah. "What did you mean about Miss Figgins being here, by the way? Did something happen to her?"

Sarah instantly winced and averted her eyes.

"Long story, but she'll be fine," she weakly admitted. "Get going! I don't know what you're up to, but considering you're not in your room, you might not want to get caught right now..."

"Agreed," I sighed, giving her a quick hug. "I'll see you guys soon."

So saying, I carefully peeked out the door before slipping back into the hall.

When I spotted a familiar blue board at the end of the corridor, I instantly darted over to it and looked at the contents with firm eyes: once I had a clear direction of where I needed to go, I hobbled for the nearest set of stairs and made my way up them one at a time. I was still tired, but I knew what I had to do... and my own exhaustion could wait until Tyler was safely out of the government's grasp.

Once I was on the second floor, I looked for another signboard.

Upon finding one, I examined it until I saw the employee cafeteria... then I looked further.

A room with a bizarre name met my gaze: Omnimetamorphic Treatment Zone.

"The hell kind of name is that?" I wondered, furrowing my brows. "Weird."

Still, I figured that was where I needed to go, so that's exactly what I did: I followed the halls straight to where I hoped Tyler was being cared for.

Once I made it to the doors, I tugged... but they were locked.

So once again, I hid behind the nearest corner and waited for someone to come through. It took a while, but eventually, the doors opened and an angry-looking man wearing a badly singed lab coat stormed out into the hall. Thankfully, he started walking in the opposite direction: without a moment to lose, I sprinted as fast as I could go and slipped through the doors just before they closed again.

However, nothing... and I do mean _nothing_... could have prepared me for the horrors awaiting me in that part of the hospital.


	19. Chapter 18: To Be a Hero

**Chapter Eighteen: To be a Hero**

I was frozen.

I couldn't move.

For a few choice seconds... I literally could not move a single muscle.

"Oh... my... God..." I whispered, staring at the walls in absolute horror. "This... this is unreal! What the hell is going on here?!"

All around me were capsules of some sort: rows upon rows of them were lined up against the wall, all of them had bubbling green fluid inside them, and they were all utterly enormous. However, inside those capsules were _people, _and that is exactly what I found so mortifying. Men... women... children... over forty people of varying age had been hooked up to tubes within the capsules and they all seemed to be unconscious. It was like something straight out of a horror film.

The worst part, however, wasn't the fact that they were floating in tubes like some sort of freakish science experiment.

No, the worst part was that all of them were obviously injured in some way or another.

Cuts that streamed blood into the green fluid... legs and arms twisted at bizarre angles... bruises, black eyes, splinted limbs...

It was horrible.

However, there was no time for me to dwell over the shocking discovery, because a distant screech echoed from down the hall. Not long after I heard it, a distant crash met my ears and smoke began to waft in from a door near the end of the hallway. My eyebrows furrowed with worry and I instantly hurried towards the smoke, figuring it might lead me straight to Tyler. Pressing myself against the wall, I snuck over to the door and carefully pushed it open before taking a peek.

My eyes instantly widened with outrage.

"Let go of me!" Tyler screeched, flailing around and kicking at the people trying to pin him down against a metal table with terrified eyes. "LET GO! MOMMY! MOMMY, HELP ME! DADDY! MISS SALLY! SOMEONE, HELP ME!"

"Hold still, you little brat!" one of the doctors snarled, pulling a syringe out of his jacket and attempting to stick the needle in his arm. "It's for the good of this city!"

"NO!" Tyler wailed, spontaneously combusting into flames and forcing them to back off. "I'M NOT A BAD GUY! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

I twitched and covered my mouth with disbelieving eyes when one of the other doctors picked up a metal bar and struck the child across the face.

His flames instantly went out, leaving the child stunned and in pain.

The man holding the rod grinned nastily.

"Not so tough, now, are you?" he sneered, gripping the little boy's hair and jerking his face close. "Huh, little brat? Without your powers, you're just a snot-faced little loser."

"I am not!" Tyler bawled, mouth quivering with anger; his face was puffy and stained with tears. "You're a bad guy! You're a horrible, mean villain!"

All of the doctors shared an amused look before bursting into laughter.

Eyes narrowing in fury, I pulled the phone I'd been given out of my pocket and opened the camera before holding it up and starting a video recording.

"I'm a bad guy?!" the doctor snickered, jerking Tyler's head around and making the little boy cry harder. "I'M a bad guy?! Look, you little brat, I'm not the one who's gonna be going to prison soon for having freakish supernatural abilities! Am I?"

"I'm not going to the bad guy prison!" Tyler blubbered, glaring defiantly at him. "I'm not a villain! I didn't do anything wrong! Mommy won't let you! She works so hard just to keep me safe! I promised her! I promised her I would be good! I'm a hero, not a villain! And I'll never be mean to you, even if you keep hitting me!"

"Oh, really?!" the man laughed, drawing the bar back again and hitting the kid in the face with it a second time. "We have several hours till your ride to the Freak Show prison gets here! So unless you want me and the good doctors here to... oh, I don't know... have a few _accidents_... I'd keep that bravado quiet if I were you! After all, this rod isn't just a beating stick... it has the ability to neutralize all metagene-related powers. You're as helpless as a newborn baby right now."

_"_So? Even if I had my fire, I wouldn't use it to hurt you!_" _Tyler barked, clutching his jaw with both hands and enraged tears filling his eyes. "Even though you're mean, I won't be like you because I'm a hero! And Miss Sally told me that heroes protect EVERYONE! Not just the nice people, but the mean ones, too! You are a very _big_ meanie, but I won't be as mean as you are! EVER!"

"Little brat..." the man snarled, raising the rod again. "I'll teach you to smart off."

Forgetting about the phone, I kicked the door open and dove in front of Tyler, lifting my hand and catching the rod.

I felt a violet shock sear through me... but then, the ice within me was practically sucked out of my body through the arm gripping the metal.

Lifting my eyes, I glared at the doctor with hatred burning inside me.

Tyler gasped and instantly burst into tears of relief.

"MISS SALLY!" he bawled, hiccuping a few times. "YOU CAME TO SAVE ME!"

However, he trailed off when he realized just how pissed off I looked: my gaze was focused solely on the man who'd been about to strike him.

"Humane treatment?" I sneered, giving him a dangerous look. "What I just saw you doing is the complete opposite of humane treatment. I don't know who the hell you think you are, but nobody is going to strike a child in front of me and get away with it."

"Who the hell are you?!" the man barked, jerking the rod back with a furious glare. "What are you doing in here?!"

"None of your business," I growled, taking on a fighting stance and eyeing the three other men in the room; then, slowly sliding the phone behind me, I backed up and crouched a little until I felt Tyler grasp it. "Tyler? I want you to hold that up so the back of it is facing me... then I want you to answer a question."

"Um..." the little boy sniffed, rubbing his eyes before holding the phone up with both arms, "l-like this?"

"Exactly like that," I confirmed, not bothering to take my eyes off the adults around us. "Now... do you know about California's Laws concerning self defense, Tyler?"

"Self... defense?" the little boy asked, looking at me with confused eyes. "No... why?"

"It's okay if you don't," I told him firmly, tightening my grip on the rod when the man tried to jerk it away. "All I need to know is how many times this guy hit you."

"He hit me... lots," the little boy croaked, rubbing his arms. "All of them did. They kept me tied down and... and... just, _hurt_ me until I accidentally burned the table."

_"_For how long?" I pressed, nose wrinkling with my ever-growing fury. "Do you know?"

"W-well, since... they first took me here," Tyler stammered, rubbing his streaming eyes. "I fell asleep a few times... I don't know how long I've been in this room."

"Three days," I hissed, feeling my rage getting ready to unload. "They were hurting you for three whole days. And _that_... that, I'd warrant, is enough for me to do what I'm about to do, because these guys are obviously dangerous. If I attack, it's in the name of self-defense only: I personally feel threatened by them."

"BITCH, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" the man roared, finally letting go of the rod and attempting to charge me. "I AM A REGISTERED GOVERNMENT DOCTOR!"

The moment he threw a punch, that's when things took off.

Darting back a few steps, I purposely drew the man toward me before gripping his wrist and using his momentum to spin him around in a rapid circle; then, when he was going too fast to catch his own balance, I let go and flipped around in the opposite direction, nailing the man in the throat with a flexible corkscrew-kick that planted his ass flat on the ground. While he lay there, rolling around and clutching his throat with a purple face, I glared down at him with frigid eyes.

"Not for long," I stated calmly, lifting my eyes and taking on the stance of a professional martial artist. "After what you've been doing to all the people under your care gets out into the open, you'll be lucky if you don't end up going to a real prison. Now... I'm going to be taking Tyler out of your custody. According to the State of California's Laws regarding minors, any child deemed to be in any immediate danger can be forcibly removed from the care of the party responsible for them."

"You have no right!" one of the nurses shouted, shoulders tensing up. "He's an unlicensed metahuman! He could destroy our city!"

"Actually, you idiot, he IS licensed!" I spat, whirling with my fists raised and ignoring how they stiffened. "You morons didn't even bother checking with his mother before you decided to send him away! Tyler's powers only showed up a month ago, so his license is still in the mail! His mother has all of the legal documentation necessary to prove what I'm saying is true! Your actions were stupid as hell! And I'm going to make _sure_ you bastards are slammed with a lawsuit!"

"As if," the man on the ground wheezed, spitting at me. "You can't even prove any of this happened! There are no cameras in this part of the hospital!"

"Excuse me?" I scoffed, giving him a grim look. "Is that supposed to be some sort of self consolation? Jesus Christ... this hospital is a joke, and so are all of you. Kiss your reputation goodbye."

So saying, I turned and held out my hand to Tyler, looking at him with gentle eyes.

"Let's go, Tyler," I stated firmly, giving him a reassuring smile. "Let's get you out of this terrible place. I won't let them hurt you anymore."

His eyes were wide and full of tears, and his mouth was quivering violently... but truthfully, his expression spoke more to me than any words could have. Silently, he took my hand, and I hefted him upright... then, kneeling down to his level, I turned around and shrugged him onto my back. I purposely made sure he was holding onto me securely before standing back up with a tired sigh. My legs were shaking violently, but I wouldn't let them give out until he was safe.

Then, turning to go, I started heading for the door.

"Don't you DARE walk out of this room, young lady!" the man I'd incapacitated bellowed, struggling to get up. "You're breaking the law! I'll have you arrested!"

I instantly halted, mouth curling in disgust.

"We the People... are the ones who make the laws you're throwing at me," I stated viciously, turning around and giving him a very dangerous smile, "and after what I've seen today, I'm pretty sure those laws you're so reliant on are going to change. Because like all of you, and this little boy, I'm a citizen of this country... and I _really_ don't like your attitude. If I have to, I'll bring all of this shit to the fucking White House in the form of a bill. I've never once broken the law before today. I normally follow the rules without a problem. However, if what I'm doing right now is, in fact, breaking the law... something definitely isn't right with our legal system."

"I'm afraid we can't let you leave," one of the other doctors grunted. "It's against the regulations. We could lose our jobs."

"Wonderful! In fact, I _hope_ you do! They're not very respectable anyway, considering you were just beating up on a child," I sweetly retorted, flashing him a grin. "I'll warn you right now: if any of you so much as lifts a finger in an attempt to stop me, you can bet you'll have a problem on your hands. Because I can and will fuck all of you up. Now, I'm going to leave... and when I do, not a single one of you had better follow me. Have a nice day."

Thus, with a nod, I carried Tyler out of the room and all but bolted in the direction of the doors I'd come through.

To my horror, however, I discovered that they were locked from both ends.

"Shoot," I muttered, looking around with furrowed brows. "How do we get out of here?"

Turning around, I examined all of the pods with the people submerged in the green goo... but then I noticed something bizarre. Hefting Tyler's weight, I walked over to one of the pods and leaned around it: I instantly blinked, since it was apparently detachable from the wall.

"W-why are there so many people in those?!" Tyler whimpered, tightening his grip on my neck; I blinked and took the phone from his hand, hefting his weight with one arm and leaning as I flashed the screen around. "Miss Sally... this is scary... are those people okay?!"

"I honestly don't even know," I told him, looking at the pods with furrowed brows. "This is literally the most messed up thing I've ever seen..."

"They're all hurt," Tyler noted aloud. "Do you think they all came to the hospital for an ouchie like me?"

"I hope not," I muttered, shaking my head. "Still... those pods can be separated from the wall. But why?"

"Maybe they have powers and they were captured," the kid whispered, shivering on my back. "Maybe... maybe the doctors were gonna put me in one!"

I stiffened in alarm.

"Did they say that?!" I squeaked, instantly turning and pulling on the doors. "Oh, man, we need to get the hell out of here! This is so messed up!"

After a moment, though, something hit me and I paused.

_Wait... if those things can be pulled away from the wall, and all of those people really are captured metahumans..._ I silently drawled, looking down the hall with confusion laced on my expression, _there__ would be a riot if the doctors tried to ship all those people off to some sort of prison in the weird capsules. If that's the case, then how the hell would they get all of them out? Unless..._

It hit me instantly.

"Unless there's another exit," I breathed, grinning with hope. "We might be able to get out of here! Let's go, Tyler!"

Hefting his weight, I lifted the phone high and hobbled weakly down the hall yet again, pushing open every single door until I found one that led down another corridor. I immediately shuffled through it and continued onwards, turning around each corner that popped up until we made it to a set of staircases leading upstairs and downstairs. Letting out a sigh of relief, I hastened downstairs and nearly burst into laughter once we pushed past another door and found ourselves in a hall.

Directly ahead of us was a door leading outside.

Within no time, the two of us were outside and heading down the street as fast as my legs could carry me.

We were in Downtown Jump city.

I didn't know what part, but I did know where we needed to go.

A place with no people... the desert on the outskirts of the city: it would be an ideal place to lie low until tomorrow.

"Sally…" Tyler suddenly croaked, making me pause. "My head hurts…"

"I know it does, Tyler. I'm so, so sorry you have to go through this... just try to endure it for a little longer, okay?" I whispered weakly, turning my head and looking at the boy with a worried expression. "You'll be fine! And tomorrow, you'll be able to get treatment... then you'll get to go home with your mom! You'll be cared for the right way next time… by people who won't hurt you like this. So just try... please, just try to endure a bit longer, okay?"

"How long…?" the boy whined, looking up at me with watery eyes; already, the left half of his face was bruising up, and his lip looked split. "It hurts..."

"I know," I soothed, weakly giving him a smile. "I'll... I'll try to do something to make it feel better once we're safe, I promise."

"My… head hurts…" the Tyler mumbled, slowly resting his chin on my shoulder. "It hurts so much…"

"You'll be fine, okay?" I stammered, jogging down the street and biting my lip when tears slid down his cheeks. "We'll both be fine! After all, you're a hero, Tyler! We are not in the wrong... I don't care what the laws say... what they did to you... it was inhumane. Just... put your faith in God. He's always looking out for us!"

"Is it my fault…?" the little boy weakly asked. "Is it my fault my Daddy ran away? Is it my fault Mommy has to work so hard?"

"Of course not," I hissed vehemently. "Don't ever ask that question again!"

"Why?" the child murmured. "I can't help but ask... I'm always thinking it."

"Tyler, listen," I sighed, shaking my head as I carried him through the city. "Your father... as much as it pains me to say this, and even though it isn't my place... your father was a coward for abandoning you and your mother. He is a coward. Even if it was your fault, don't think too much of it, because no matter how much he tries to run away... he can't. Because he's your Dad, and nothing he does will ever change that."

He was quiet for a moment.

I ignored the stares everyone started giving us when we stopped at a crosswalk with a bunch of other people, waiting for the light to turn.

"What about Mommy?" he asked, shifting his head slightly. "Is she afraid of me? Like Daddy?"

"Of course not," I snorted, actually letting out a laugh. "Your mother is actually quite a bit scarier than you yourself are. Still... she's one hell of a Mom."

"But she works so hard..." Tyler protested. "It's my fault!"

"Yes, she works hard because of you, but it's not because she's obligated to," I explained, jogging across the street once the light flashed green. "She works as hard as she does because of how much she loves you, hon. She wants you to be safe. And perhaps... perhaps once you _are_ safe, she won't have to work so hard. All you need to do, Tyler, is put your faith in her... because that woman would never let anything happen to you. She would move mountains and fly to the stars to protect you."

"But... but..." Tyler stammered, sounding as though he were about to cry, "why?! Those mean doctors were right! I'm a freak!"

"I don't think so," I told him gently, turning my head again and giving him a look. "In fact, I think you're actually a very cool kid. And I think someday, you could possibly become one of the greatest superheroes of all time. Every single hero has one thing in common: they all had a rough beginning."

"Still doesn't answer my question," he grumbled. "Why does Mommy try so hard for me when all I do is burn things?"

"Because she's your mother," I told him, smiling when he blinked. "You belong to her... you're her baby, Tyler... and there isn't a single mother out there who wouldn't move the stars for a child as wonderful and brave as you are. So, don't doubt her... and don't let what those jerks said to you sink in. Okay?"

"Okay," Tyler sighed, closing his eyes. "Thank you..."

"Don't worry," I murmured soothingly, carrying him towards the desert. "We'll be able to rest soon, so don't worry."

Just as I said it, someone stepped in front of me and I halted, blinking. Slowly lifting my head, I looked at the one who'd blocked my path and frowned, backing off a step: he was wearing a leather jacket with a hood that completely obscured his face. However, he was giving me a vibe that had trouble written all over it.

"Well," he jeered, moving close and setting a hand against my cheek. "You're cute enough. Want to have some fun with my girlfriend?"

"Uh, no thanks," I told him, hefting the phone and saving the video recording before jamming it in my pocket. "I'm really busy at the moment."

"Aw, come on... don't be like that," the guy chuckled, setting a hand on my arm. "Really, I know it's abrupt, and pretty whacked for a stranger to walk up and dump a proposition into your lap like this... in fact, it's really sketchy, and I'm just as uncomfortable as you are. Ya see, my girl's a great person and all, but she's so filthy rich that she just... doesn't have a concept about not getting what she wants. She also doesn't have any lady friends, so she asked me to come out and look for a girl cute enough to hang out with for a bit. Mind getting me off the hook?"

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Do you not see the injured child on my back?" I demanded, giving him a scowl. "I can't... help you right now. I'm sorry. His priority is my sole concern at the moment."

When I tried to walk around him, however, he halted me with an arm and moved close to Tyler.

I stiffened and watched him with wary eyes when he gently touched the bruises on the side of the kid's face.

"What happened to this kid?!" he scoffed. "It looks like someone hit him with a baseball bat!"

"You could say that," I grumbled, giving the stranger a look. "It's a long story. I really have to go, though..."

"You should get that kid to a hospital," the guy stated lowly. "He doesn't look too good."

I grit my teeth.

"We're RUNNING from the hospital!" I snapped, finally losing my temper. "THEY'RE the ones who DID this to him! I can't take him back there!"

The man stiffened in shock.

"If that's the case, you really should come to my girl's place," the boy stated quietly, shaking his head. "Her father is an independent doctor who does house calls, and I'm sure he'd be willing to look the kid over. Plus, my girl really does want someone to hang out with... so, can we try to kill two birds with one stone? I really just do NOT want to make her unhappy."

I gave him a nervous look, feeling unconvinced.

"So... you really just want me to hang out... with another girl?" I asked, scratching my head. "And if I do... Tyler can... get looked at?"

"Yeah," the young man sighed, shrugging. "I'm pretty sure."

"Fine," I stated firmly, hefting Tyler a little more securely before I poked the guy in the chest, "but you try anything funny, and I'll kick you where the sun don't shine!"

"All right," he sighed, lifting his hands. "Follow me."

So saying, he turned and headed off down the street. I furrowed my brows and followed him, not liking this idea at all, but going along with it. I won't lie, though... when I saw the boy standing in front of a stretch limo, my jaw nearly broke off. I blinked when he opened the door for me and gestured to get inside. Heading over, I carefully squatted down and waited for Tyler to get off my back to help him into the car.

He really didn't look too good.

"Where are we going?" he asked, looking up at me. "This is a big car... like the ones all the famous people on TV drive!"

"Ummm..." I sighed, not knowing how to respond. "I don't really know where we're going. Just rest a little, okay?"

I watched with concerned eyes as the leather-wearing young man slid into the limo beside me.

"Head back to the house," he called, stretching back and planting his arms behind his head. "Step on it."

So saying, the car began to move.

I kept a protective arm around Tyler's shoulders for a while, not knowing how to feel about this... but then, I chanced a glance at him.

"So..." I politely murmured, giving him a look, "what's your name?"

"Fang," he stated simply. "I don't have a last name."

I blinked, then shook my head in amusement.

"I guess that's something we have in common," I murmured, gently mussing up Tyler's dark hair. "Last names are overrated."

"More like last names carry dead weight," he retorted, not moving a muscle. "No point in having one if you don't belong to anyone, right?"

I stiffened, then glanced at him with a frown, wondering what he must have gone through to have ended up thinking so much like me. I realized after looking at him that the reason I hadn't been able to see his face was because there was a leather flap within the hood itself concealing it.

"Right," I finally stated, speaking slowly. "Let me just make one thing clear: I don't want to hear why you think the same way I do... especially since whatever happened must have been really... difficult."

"You're perceptive," he stated lowly. "That's a good quality to have when dealing with Kitten."

"Kitten?" I asked, blinking rapidly.

"My girlfriend," he explained, straightening up and leaning forward once the vehicle stopped. "We're here."

I watched as he got out of the limo and hastened over to my door: before I could so much as twitch, he opened it and stood off to the side. I hesitantly slid my hand into Tyler's and crawled out of the car, blinking at the bright pink house in front of my gaze. When the boy walked up to the front door and opened it, he turned and waved at us before heading inside: I looked down at Tyler, who looked up at me with confusion on his battered face, and sighed.

"Come on, kiddo," I murmured, giving him a nervous grin. "At the very least, you'll be able to take a few painkillers, hopefully."

"Okay," he mumbled, letting me tug him towards the house. "Will the doctor be nice this time?"

"I hope so," I told him, walking inside and taking my stockings off by habit. "I really do hope so."

My hopes were soon uplifted when a shriek came from upstairs.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" a muffled female voice wailed. "YOU REALLY FOUND ME A FRIEND?! OH, FANGY POO! I LOVE YOU!"

I sighed when I heard the boy's muffled tone.

"WHAT?!" the female voice squalled. "AN INJURED CHILD IS WITH HER?! OH NO! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO?!"

I jumped and clutched Tyler's shoulders when a door somewhere up the stairs crashed open and I tensed when I heard thumping footsteps. However, I blinked in total surprise when a beautiful blonde girl clumsily stumbled into view and came rushing down the stairs three at a time. When she skidded to a halt in front of us, I didn't really know how to react. Especially since her eyes were sparkling and she'd clasped her hands together with an expression of total and utter joy.

"Um, hi," I stated weakly, looking down at Tyler. "Are you... Kitten?"

"Oh, you already know my name?!" she squealed, wriggling around in delight. "We're gonna be the bestest friends ever! Oh, but your little brother... he's hurt! One second, I'll do something right away!"

"Thanks," I sighed, feeling my body flooding with relief. "I really do appreciate this."

She grinned at me, nodding several times... but then she turned around, clenched her fists, and stomped her foot.

"DADDDDYYYYYYY!" she roared, making me jerk back with huge eyes and Tyler cringe against me. "DADDY! GET UP HERE! RIGHT NOW!"

Just as she said it, the whole house was rocked with a shudder and a muffled thunderclap bumped against my feet.

I felt shock searing through me when a man dressed in a lab coat plodded up the stairs, coughing and waving the smoke out of his eyes.

"Kitten, Daddy told you!" he coughed, giving her a gentle look. "I'm working on a very big science project right now!"

"But Daddy, my FRIEND'S LITTLE BROTHER is HURT!" the girl barked, stomping her foot. "DO SOMETHING! NOW!"

I felt a drop of sweat slide down my cheek and stared at the girl with huge eyes.

After a moment, I swallowed, since the man looked at the two of us with delight on his face.

"Your friend, you say?" he asked, nodding rapidly before he hastened over. "All right, let me have a look."

When the man knelt down in front of Tyler and pulled a small flashlight out of his pocket, I watched as he shone it in the boy's eyes. Then he examined the bruises on the little guy's face and scowled before pulling down the collar of his shirt and checking his neck. After a moment, he pulled a stethoscope out of his pocket and slid it on before sliding the circular part up the child's shirt. I bit my lip when his expression darkened a little.

"How is he?" I asked, unable to hold back my worry. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine," the man stated darkly, lifting his eyes to me. "With plenty of rest and gentle care, he'll be all right in no time. However, I really don't like the look of those bruises on his face, especially because one of them is turning into a contusion. Don't let him go to sleep until seven hours have passed. Fang and I will keep an eye on him while you girls do whatever girls your age do... I give you my word, I promise."

"See?" Kitten laughed, running over and clasping my hand with both of hers. "I told you I would help! Now, do you want to see my room?"

"Uh... sure?" I squeaked, blinking when she laughed; I let out a yip as I was frantically dragged up the stairs and down a carpeted hall towards an open door. "Whoa!"

"My room is amazing, right?!" the girl giggled, slamming the door closed behind us. "Daddy is the one who renovated it! It's every girl's dream come true!"

I looked around, feeling genuinely amazed.

"It's very pink," I noted, blinking at it; however, when I tried to take a step forward, my legs finally gave out and I collapsed like a rag doll. "Ow..."

"A-are you okay?!" Kitten squealed, covering her mouth before falling to her knees and fawning over me. "Oh, no... you aren't hurt, too, are you?!"

"No... I'm... just... super exhausted," I told her, giving a weak grin. "I've had a rough few days, I guess you could say."

"Well, if that's the case, I know what'll perk you right up!" Kitten exclaimed, clapping her hands. "A makeover! Fun, right?!'

I felt my heart turn cold.

"Huh?" I asked, staring at her in confusion. "A... makeover?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, wriggling her shoulders. "I've always wanted to do this with another girl, but everybody always runs away from me! I never really got to make friends because of that! But it's different now! Since you've _offered_ to be my friend, I figured... we could try it, if you wanted to. I mean, not that your makeup doesn't look good as it is... it's just, I really just want to try doing a makeover!"

When she smiled at me with those sparkling blue eyes, I felt a little sorry for her.

"Um... actually, I'm not wearing any makeup right now," I murmured, giving her an awkward stare. "If you really want to... I guess, I'm okay with it?"

"OH, YAY!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air and tackling me to the ground in a hug. "OH, YOU REALLY WILL BE MY BEST FRIEND!"

"Glad... I could help," I wheezed, feeling highly uncomfortable. "I guess..."

However, after a moment, she paused and a dark expression took over.

I blinked when she pulled away and stared hard at my face.

"Did you say you're not wearing makeup?" she asked, looking at my cheeks and eyes with a blink. "Really?"

"I never wear it," I explained, eyes widening when she lifted a hand and touched my blonde lashes. "Um... what are you doing?"

"Why are your eyelashes and eyebrows the same color as your hair?" she asked, looking at me with an innocent expression. "Did you get them done at a salon? And if so, where exactly was it? I can't even see your roots showing through... it's great job."

I swallowed and averted my eyes.

"This is my natural hair-color," I murmured, giving a little shrug. "I didn't get it dyed."

"WOW!" Kitten screeched into my face, making me flinch. "YOUR HAIR IS NATURALLY BLONDE! O.M.G! YOU'RE LEGALLY BLONDE! WITH NO MAKE-UP!"

"Y-yeah," I squeaked, feeling extremely awkward. "That's about right."

"This is going to be SO much fun!" Kitten squealed, diving off of me and flying into her closet; I sat up and watched with shaken eyes as she dug around for something... but when she pulled out a huge box, I let out a sigh. "You're going to look SO PRETTY!"

I sat still when she pulled out a brush and turned with an excited expression: I watched as she lifted a small case and held it next to my face, gaze alternating between my nose and whatever she was holding. After a moment, she nodded and coated the brush in the makeup powder. However, just before she started applying whatever the hell it was to my skin, she paused.

"Oh, right," she laughed, grinning at me. "I forgot to ask! I was so excited that I didn't even remember. Um... so, what's your name?"

I blinked, then sighed and smiled at her, shaking my head.

This girl was loud, obnoxious, and absurdly demanding... but she was clearly so desperate for a friend that she'd invited a total stranger into her home.

Perhaps it was actually a good thing I had accepted the offer.

Who knows what other kind of creep could have ended up sitting here instead?

"My name is Sally," I murmured, holding out my hand. "Sally Beth."

"Good to meet you, Sal Sal cutie pie!" the girl giggled, shaking my hand and eagerly beginning to brush my face. "Let's have some fun!"

I sighed and closed my eyes, pretending I was somewhere else.

Ignoring the guilt that kept sweeping through me for even daring to let real makeup touch my face.

In the end, though, I had no choice.

All I could do was pray, that when all had been said and done, that Tyler's life could go back to normal.


End file.
